Track

Press Release

3/6 WHAT'S BRUIN:
GEORGE FOX TRACK & FIELD 2008
- Weekly News & Notes

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HIGHLIGHTS:

* Recent Events: Bruins Post Three 1sts in Linfield Icebreaker
* Coming Up: Pacific 4-Way Meet Friday in Forest Grove
* Information Now Available on Frank Haskins Invitational
* Leighty, Kampfe, Finney, Kongela HM for NWC Honors
* NWC/NCAA: 22 Bruins Qualify for NWC Championships

RECENT EVENTS: (click on links for releases and results):

Mar. 1 - Linfield Icebreaker, McMinnville, Ore.
--- No team scores
Press Release / Results (M) / Results (W)

COMING UP: Pacific 4-Way Meet Friday in Forest Grove

Fri., Mar. 7, 10:00 a.m./3:00 p.m. - Pacific 4-Way Meet, Forest Grove, Ore.

Pacific University will host George Fox, Linfield, and Lewis & Clark at Lincoln Park Stadium in Forest Grove, the Boxers' first track meet on campus since the 1960's. Pacific hosted several meets in the 1970's at Hillsboro's Hare Field. Because of ongoing construction at the Lincoln Park Athletic Complex, the throwing events and the steeplechase will be held at George Fox's Colcord Field, starting at 10:00 a.m. All other events will begin at 3:00 p.m. in Forest Grove.

* FRANK HASKINS INVITATIONAL Information Now Available Online

Information about the upcoming Frank Haskins Invitational on Saturday, Mar. 15, at George Fox's Colcord Field in now available on line at www.georgefox.edu/athletics/track/2008/releases/haskinsinfo.pdf. Registration deadline is Mar. 11, and registration must be done on line at www.directathletics.com. Teams currently entered include George Fox, Puget Sound, Lewis & Clark, Pacific, Warner Pacific, and Southwestern Oregon Community College.

The Frank Haskins Invitational, named in honor of one of the university's biggest supporters, particularly of the Bruin track and field and cross country programs, is one of three events George Fox will host on the newly-resurfaced Colcord Field in 2008. The Bruins will also host the Northwest Conference Multi-Events (heptathlon and decathlon) on Apr. 7-8, and the NWC Championships on Apr. 18-19.

COACH JOHN SMITH:

John Smith (George Fox '96), a former Bruin All-American in the decathlon, is now in his second year as the men's and women's cross country and track and field head coach at his alma mater. He was an assistant coach for the Bruins for eight years before replacing long-time coach Wes Cook, who retired after 19 season at George Fox. Click here for the complete bio on Coach Smith.

BRUIN BITS:

* Leighty, Kampfe, Finney, Kongela, HM for NWC Honors

Freshman Melissa Leighty received honorable mention for Northwest Conference Women's Track Athlete of the Week for her performance in the Linfield Icebreaker on Mar. 1. She won the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 15.95, the best mark in the conference to date, and finished 2nd in the 200 meter dash in 26.72, the second-best mark in the NWC.

Sophomore Elisha Kampfe received honorable mention for Northwest Conference Women's Field Athlete of the Week for her performance in the Linfield Icebreaker on Mar. 1. She won the long jump with a distance of 17-2.75 (5.25m), the best mark in the conference this season.

Senior Grant Finney received honorable mention for Northwest Conference Men's Track Athlete of the Week for his performance in the Linfield Icebreaker on Mar. 1. He placed 2nd in the 10,000 meter run with a time of 33:33.58, the fifth-best mark in the conference to date.

Sophomore Dakari Kongela received honorable mention for Northwest Conference Men's Field Athlete of the Week for his performance in the Linfield Icebreaker on Mar. 1. He won the triple jump with a distance of 43-7.75 (13.30m), the top mark in the NWC thus far.

* 2008 Men's Honors:

Dakari Kongela
- NWC Men's Field Athlete of the Week (HM, Feb. 25-Mar. 2)

Grant Finney
- NWC Men's Track Athlete of the Week (HM, Feb. 25-Mar. 2)

* 2008 Women's Honors:

Elisha Kampfe
- NWC Women's Field Athlete of the Week (HM, Feb. 25-Mar. 2)

Melissa Leighty
- NWC Women's Track Athlete of the Week (HM, Feb. 25-Mar. 2)

* NWC/NCAA QUALIFIERS:

In their season-opening event, the Linfield Icebreaker in McMinnville, Ore., the Bruins posted 22 Northwest Conference qualifying marks (8 for the men, 14 for the women), including 6 that are the best in the league. Bruins in 1st place include Dakari Kongela in the men's triple jump, Ben Burgess in the men's hammer, the men's 4x400m relay team of Garrett Blizzard, John Zaganiacz, Ryan MacKenzie and James Hosford, Melissa Leighty in the women's 100m hurdles, Elisha Kampfe in the long jump, and the women's 4x400m relay team of Kelly Bladorn, Anja Harder, Mollie Honan and Lisa Mensonides. No Bruins have met NCAA qualifiers yet.

The complete list of Bruins who have met NWC marks thus far: