Eagles will also compete at the Duane Hartman Invite in Spokane

The Eastern Washington University track and field team will host the 41st Annual Pelluer Invitational Friday (April 27) at Roos Field in Cheney. On Saturday, the Eagles will head to the Community Colleges of Spokane for the Duane Hartman Invitational.

Pelluer field events will begin at noon, while track events are slated to start at 4 p.m., leading off with the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase. The other teams who will be present at the meet include Central Washington, Whitworth, Northwest Nazarene, Carroll College, Community Colleges of Spokane and Lewis-Clark State

The meet is dedicated to Arnie Pelluer, a former Eastern track and cross country coach in 1970-71, and also a coach at Whitworth and Yakima Valley Community College. He started the twilight meet in ’71, but later died in a swimming accident the same year. The event was renamed in his honor.

“It’s a great connection with our past and to remember someone who laid down the foundation to allow us to do the work we do today,” said men’s head coach Stan Kerr. “To acknowledge the memory and have our athletes at home in front of their friends and family is a great recipe for a good meet.”

The Eagles are looking towards the final stretch of meets before the Big Sky Conference Outdoor Championships held in Bozeman, Mont., on May 11-12. Including the Pelluer and Duane Hartman, there are three meets left for athletes to improve or hit their Big Sky qualifying standard. The Eagles have 40 qualifying marks (25 men, 15 women) going into the Pelluer Invitational.

According to Kerr, competing at home could help improve the athletes’ odds.

“They know they get to sleep in their own beds,” he added. “We aren’t traveling or working the odd hours of an odd meet schedule. They know it’s a chance to compete in our very good facility, and they want to do well because they have a lot of family coming to watch.

PELLUER FIELD EVENTS ­– Friday, April 27, 2012

Event                                        Time    

Men’s Hammer Throw                Noon
Women’s Hammer Throw           Following Men’s Hammer (2:00 approx.)

Women’s Discus                       Noon
Men’s Discus                            Following Men’s Shot Put (4:30 approx.)

Women’s Javelin                       Noon
Men’s Javelin                            Following Women’s Javelin (2:00 approx.)

Women’s Long Jump                  Noon
Men’s Long Jump                      Following Women’s Long Jump (1:30 approx.)

Men’s Pole Vault                       1:30 p.m.
Women’s Pole Vault                   Following Men’s Pole Vault (4:00 approx.)

Men’s Shot Put                          3 p.m.
Women’s Shot Put                     Following Men’s Shot Put (4:30 approx.)

Women’s Triple Jump                 Following Men’s Long Jump (2:30 approx.)
Men’s Triple Jump                     Following Women’s T. Jump (3:30 approx.)

Women’s High Jump                  4 p.m.
Men’s High Jump                       Following Women’s H. Jump (6:00 approx.)

PELLUER RUNNING EVENTS

Friday, April 27, 2012

(Begin at 4 p.m. and are run in the order below)

Women’s 3,000-Meter Steeplechase
Men’s 3,000-Meter Steeplechase
Women’s 400-Meter Relay
Men’s 400-Meter Relay
Women’s 1,500 Meters
Men’s 1,500 Meters
Women’s 100-Meter High Hurdles
Men’s 110-Meter High Hurdles
Women’s 400 Meters
Men’s 400 Meters
Women’s 100 Meters
Men’s 100 Meters
Women’s 800 Meters
Men’s 800 Meters
Women’s 400-Meter Hurdles
Men’s 400-Meter Hurdles
Women’s 200 Meters
Men’s 200 Meters
Women’s 1,600-Meter Relay
Men’s 1,600-Meter Relay

BIG SKY CONFERENCE QUALIFIERS

Men's Qualifiers/Records

Big Sky Conference Championships – May 9-12 – Bozeman, Mont.
First Round NCAA Championships – May 24-26 – Austin, Texas.
NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships – June 6-9 - Des Moines, Iowa
School Records Broken: None

Total Big Sky Championships Qualifying Marks Attained: 25 (5 new marks from Long Beach Invitational; Lind/Decathlon/High Jump, Armstong/Decathlon/110 Hurdles, Miller/High Jump)

400 Meters – 48.18 - Brad Michael - Sprints – Fr. – HS - Vancouver, Wash.
5,000 Meters – 14:10.42– Kyle King - Distance - Sr. - 3L - Coupeville, Wash. / Coupeville HS '08
10,000 Meters – 29:40.08 – Kyle King - Distance - Sr. - 3L - Coupeville, Wash. / Coupeville HS '08
5,000 Meters – 14:41.55 – Bowe Ebding – Distance – Sr. – 3L – Walla Walla, Wash. / DeSales HS '07
10,000 Meters – 30:48.76 – Bowe Ebding – Distance – Sr. – 3L – Walla Walla, Wash. / DeSales HS '07
110 Hurdles – 14.59 – Steven Warner - Hurdles - So. - 1L - Kent, Wash. / Kentwood HS '09
Hammer – 166-1 – Jon Buchanan - Throws - So. - 1L – Yakima, Wash. / East Valley HS '09
Shot Put – 51-5 – Jon Buchanan - Throws - So. - 1L - Yakima, Wash. / East Valley HS '09
Hammer – 172-1– Zach Nielsen - Throws - So. - 1L - Snohomish, Wash. / Snohomish HS '09
Discus – 151-8 – Zach Nielsen - Throws - So. - 1L - Snohomish, Wash. / Snohomish HS '09
Discus – 156-11 – Cody Humphrey - Throws - Jr. - 1L - Hermiston, Ore. / Hermiston HS '09
Shot Put – 51-0 3/4 – Marlyn Anderson - Throws - Jr. - 2L - Snohomish, Wash. / Snohomish HS '09
800 Meters – 1:52.38 – Tim Pettit - Distance - So. - 1L - Kent, Wash. / Kentwood HS ‘10
800 Meters – 1:53.40 – Jordan Curnutt – Distance  - Jr. - 2L - Spokane, Wash. / Mead HS '09
200 Meters – 21.72 – Michael Okoro - Sprints - So. - 1L - Lakewood, Wash. / Clover Park HS ’10
400 Hurdles – 55.24 – Kramer Green – Sprints/Hurdles - So. - 1L - Buckley, Wash. / White River HS '10
High Jump – 6-7 – Cody Fishel – Jumps - So. - 1L - Covington, Wash. / Kentwood HS '09
Javelin – 188-8 – Max Pratt - Throws - Fr. - HS - Auburn, Wash. / Auburn HS ‘11
Hammer – 170-7 – Jaime Alnassim - Throws - So. – 1L - Olympia, Wash. / Capital HS '10
400 Hurdles – 55.08 – Armon Blackwell - Hurdles - Fr. - HS – Lakewood, Wash. / Clover Park HS ‘11
Decathlon – 6,735 - Kersee Lind - Multi - Sr. – 3L - Hermiston, Ore. / Hermiston HS ‘07
High Jump – 6-5 1/2 - Kersee Lind - Multi - Sr. – 3L - Hermiston, Ore. / Hermiston HS ‘07
Decathlon – 6,273 – Tim Armstrong - Multi - Sr. – 1L - Spokane, Wash. / East Valley HS ‘06
110 Hurdles – 15.01 – Tim Armstrong - Multi - Sr. – 1L - Spokane, Wash. / East Valley HS ‘06
High Jump – 6-5 – Warren Millier – Multi – So. – 1L – St. John, Wash. / St. John Endicott HS ‘10

Women's Qualifiers/Records

Big Sky Conference Championships – May 9-12 – Bozeman, Mont.
First Round NCAA Championships – May 24-26 – Austin, Texas.
NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships – June 6-9 - Des Moines, Iowa School Records Broken: None

Total Big Sky Championships Qualifying Marks Attained: 15 (3 new marks from Long Beach Invitational; Dye/Steeplechase, Davis/Long Jump/Triple Jump)

Javelin – 147-11 – Michelle Coombs - Throws/Jumps - Jr. - 1L - Hermiston, Ore. / Hermiston HS '08
Javelin – 134-1 – Taylor Walker - Throws - So. - SQ - Pullman, Wash. / Pullman HS '08
Javelin – 133-10 – Haley Tank - Throws - Fr. - HS - West Richland, Wash.
Shot Put – 44-2 – Mari Bingham - Throws - Sr. – 3L - Tacoma, Wash. / Mount Tahoma HS ‘07
Discus – 141-2 – Mari Bingham - Throws - Sr. – 3L - Tacoma, Wash. / Mount Tahoma HS ‘07
200 Meter – 25.02 – Whitney Leavitt - Sprints - Jr. – 3L - Benton City, Wash. / Kiona Benton HS '09
100 Meter – 12.22 – Whitney Leavitt - Sprints - Jr. – 3L - Benton City, Wash. / Kiona Benton HS '09
Pole Vault – 12-5 1/2 – Robin Taylor - Jumps - So. – 1L - Blaine, Wash. / Blaine HS ‘10
400 Meters – 57.14 – Angelica Rodriguez - Sprints - So. - 1L - Hermiston, Ore. / Hermiston HS '10
400 Meters – 57.33 – Nicole Nida - Sprints - Sr. - 3L - Cottonwood, Idaho / Prairie HS, ’07 / SCC
200 Meters – 25.20 – Nicole Nida - Sprints - Sr. - 3L - Cottonwood, Idaho / Prairie HS, ’07 / SCC
High Jump – 5-3 3/4 – Elise Jepsen - Jumps - Jr. - 2L - Kennewick, Wash. / Kamiakin HS '09
Steeplechase – 11:17.32 - Stephanie Dye - Distance - Sr. – 3L - Chatteroy, Wash. / Riverside HS ‘08
Long Jump – 19-6 1/4 - Shene Davis - Jumps - Sr. – 3L - Yakima, Wash. / Selah HS ‘07
Triple Jump – 38-9 1/2 - Shene Davis - Jumps - Sr. – 3L - Yakima, Wash. / Selah HS ‘07

RETURNING ALL-BIG SKY ATHLETES

The following Eagle athletes have earned All-Big Sky Conference honors (top three finish) in previous Big Sky Conference track and field championships (indoors and outdoors):

Jonathan Buchanan – (2011 Indoors: 3rd in shot put)
Kyle King – (2011 Indoors: Champion in 5,000, 3rd in 3,000)
Kersee Lind – (2012 Indoors: 3rd in heptathlon)
Brad Michael – (2012 Indoors: 2nd in 400, 3rd in 200)
Zach Nielsen – (2012 Indoors: 3rd in weight throw)
Michael Okoro (2011 Outdoors: Champion in 200)
Phillip Puccino – (2012 Indoors: 3rd in triple jump)
Nick Stearns – (2012 Indoors: 3rd in pole vault)
Brad Wall – (2012 Indoors: 3rd in 400; 2011 Outdoors: Champion in 400; 2011 Indoors: Champion in 400; 2010 Outdoors: Champion in 400)
Steven Warner (2012 Indoors: Champion in 110 hurdles)
4x400 Relay (2011 Outdoors: 3rd/Michael Okoro, Kramer Green, Collin Green, Brad Wall; 2012 Indoors: Champion/Collin Green, Michael Okoro, Brad Michael, Brad Wall)
4x100 Relay (2011 Outdoors: 2nd/Alex Flores, Michael Okoro, Kurt Williams, Brad Wall)

Michelle Coombs – (2009 Outdoors: Champion in Javelin)
Shene Davis – (2012 Indoors: 2nd in long jump; 2011 Outdoors: 2nd in long jump)
Keisa Monterola  - (2012 Indoors: Champion in pole vault)
Olivia Midles – (2011 Outdoors: 2nd in hammer throw)
Brianna Okoro - (2011 Outdoors: 3rd in long jump; 2010 Outdoors: Champion in 200, 3rd in 100, 3rd in long jump)
4x400 Relay – (2012 Indoors: 2nd/Whitney Leavitt, Nicole Nida, Angelica Rodriguez, Chelsea Lawhead)

SEASON NOTES

Big Sky Conference Preseason Polls
Voting is calculated with each team receiving nine points for a first place vote, eight points for a second place vote, etc. Coaches are allowed to vote for their respective teams. Below are the final results with the number of first place votes in parenthesis.

Men's Poll 

Team, Points (last year’s place)
Northern Arizona, 77 – 6 first-place votes (2nd, 167 points)
Montana State, 72 – 2 first-place votes (3rd, 116.5)
Sacramento State 55 – 1 first-place vote (1st, 204.5)
Eastern Washington 53 (4th, 96)
Weber State 47 (5th, 74)
Montana 37 (3rd, 116.5)
Idaho State 35 (7th, 44)
Northern Colorado 16 (8th, 38)
Portland State 13 (9th, 28.5)

Women's Poll 

Team, Points (last year’s place)
Sacramento State, 77 – 5 first-place votes (1st, 236 points)
Weber State, 73 – 4 first-place votes (5th, 66)
Northern Arizona 54 (8th, 63)
Portland State 47 (6th, 65)
Montana State 46 (4th, 75)
Montana 42 (2nd, 133)
Idaho State 28 (7th, 64.5)
Eastern Washington 27 (3rd, 78)
Northern Colorado 11 (9th, 33.5)

TOP SEASON PERFORMANCES

Shene Davis - Jumps - Sr. – 3L - Yakima, Wash. / Selah HS ‘07
Davis qualified for the Big Sky Outdoor Championships in both the triple jump and long jump at the Long Beach Invitational. She moved to third in EWU history in the long jump with a mark of 19-6 1/4, which also places her on top of the Big Sky Conference. Her mark of 38-9 1/2 in the triple jump put her fourth in school history.
Kersee Lind - Multi - Sr. – 3L - Hermiston, Ore. / Hermiston HS ‘07
Lind, in his first decathlon of the season, broke his personal record and qualified for the Big Sky Conference Outdoor Championships with a score of 6,735. The score puts Lind second all-time in school history.
Stephanie Dye - Distance - Sr. – 3L - Chatteroy, Wash. / Riverside HS ‘08
Dye shattered her personal record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase by nearly 20 seconds with a time of 11:17.32, earning herself a conference qualifying mark.
Robin Taylor – Pole Vault – So. – 1L - Blaine, Wash. / Blaine HS '10
Taylor moved into fourth all-time at Eastern with her jump of 12-5 1/2 at the WAOR V in Spokane.
Kyle King – Distance – Sr. – 3L - Coupeville, Wash. / Coupeville HS '08
With his 14:10.42 time in the 5,000-meter run at the Stanford Invitational, King completely shattered his own outdoor personal record by 25 seconds, moving him into third all-time in Eastern history.
Tim Pettit - Distance - So. - 1L - Kent, Wash. / Kentwood HS ‘10
Pettit placed second in the 800-meter run at the Al Manuel Invite with a career-best time of 1:52.38. The time qualified him for the outdoor conference championships.
Angelica Rodriguez - Sprints - So. - 1L - Hermiston, Ore. / Hermiston HS '10
Rodriguez matched her career best in the 400 meters with a time of 57.14 at the Al Manuel Invitational. The time places the sophomore ninth all-time in school history in the 400. She also ranks tenth in school history in the 800, with a time of 2:16.88 on Feb. 12, 2011 at the Husky Invitational.
Michelle Coombs - Throws/Jumps - So. - 1L - Hermiston, Ore. / Hermiston HS '08
Coombs won the javelin with a throw of 147-11 at the Dusty Lane Invitational on March 17, the first time she’s thrown in nearly two years. As a freshman in 2009, she was the Big Sky champion in the event, but injuries have slowed her down since then. She ranks third in school history with a 163-1 throw in 2009.
Brad Michael – Sprints – Fr. – HS - Vancouver, Wash.
Michael, EWU’s freshman phenom, continued where he left off from the indoor season, by winning both the 200- and 400-meter dashes at the Dusty Lane Invitational. His time of 48.18 in the 400 met the Big Sky qualifying mark. During the indoor season, Michael broke the school record in the 400 (46.97) en route to a second-place finish, and he placed third in the 200 with a time of 21.63 that ranks third in school history. He was also was part of the 4x400 relay team which won the Big Sky title with a school-record time of 3:11.04.
Steven Warner - Hurdles - So. - 1L - Kent, Wash. / Kentwood HS '09
Warner, the 2012 Big Sky Indoor champion in the 60-meter hurdles, finished the 110-meter hurdles in 14.80 March 31 at the Al Manuel Invitational.  His career best in that event is 14.60 set as a freshman in 2010. Warner had a school-record time of 8.07 in the 60-meter hurdles indoors earlier this season, good for second all-time.
Cody Humphrey – Throws - Jr. - 1L - Hermiston, Ore. / Hermiston HS '09
Humphrey, who is also an tight end for EWU’s football team, qualified for the Big Sky Championships with a career-best throw of 156-11 in the discus at the Dusty Lane Open on March 17.

LINKS

EWU Track and Field - http://goeags.com/sports/c-track/index
Big Sky Conference Men's Track and Field - http://www.bigskyconf.com/index.aspx?tab=outdoortrackandfield&path=motrack
Big Sky Conference Women's Track and Field - http://www.bigskyconf.com/index.aspx?tab=outdoortrackandfield2&path=wotrack
NCAA Track and Field - http://www.ncaa.com
Direct Athletics Performance List - http://www.directathletics.com/lists/track/63_919.html
More Information and Links are Available at - HTTP://WWW.GOEAGS.COM