Track & Field | 3/21/2009 8:24:31 PM

[Results]

EUGENE, Ore. - Zeb Udell of the Western Oregon University track and field team earned an NCAA provisional qualifying standard in the pole vault at the Oregon Preview Saturday (Mar. 21) as he cleared a school-record height of 16-6 (5.03m).

Udell just missed the NCAA automatic qualifying standard of 16.6.75 (5.05m) as he sprung to the top of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in the event. His mark was the eighth best in NCAA Division II this outdoor season and is 3-0.75 (.93m) better than the nearest GNAC competitor. This was the first height of the season registered by the defending GNAC outdoor pole vault champion. His mark of 16-6 topped his previous school-record he set last season by two inches.

"This was the first good week of practice he has had this year," said Western Oregon head coach Mike Johnson of Udell. "He has a great approach and has been working on the top of the pole and I think he still has better jumps left in him."

Western Oregon also had the opportunity to run all four of its relay teams for the first time this season. The women's 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams each won their race at the Oregon preview with times of 48.53 and 4:05.58, respectively. The men's relay teams both moved into second place on the GNAC list as they posted a time of 43.06 in the 4x100m and a time of 3:24.21 in the 4x400m.

Other highlights for the Wolves in the meet included Ashtin Mott in the men's 400m who moved to the top of the GNAC list with a time of 49.65. Andy Loscutoff registered a time of 55.70 to move into second place in the GNAC.

Western Oregon claimed four of the top six spots on the GNAC list in the women's 100 hurdles as Jacque Helbling registered a time of 15.37 to move into second place while Janna Vander Meulen's career-best mark of 15.51 propelled her to third place. Mandy Keifer posted a time of 15.67, good for fifth in the conference, and Ali Mosher will now be sixth with a time of 15.78.

"Some got personal-bests and some had a good race but everyone came away with something that will make them better as this young year unfolds," noted Johnson.

In other related news, Brynn Marie Mantalas was born today. She is the daughter of Western Oregon track and field alumni Jerret and Katy Mantalas. Jerret Mantalas is currently as assistant coach on the Western Oregon track and field team as well as an assistant coach in cross country. He is still ranked on the Wolves all-time top 10 list in the 800m, 1500m and the 4x400m relay. Katy Mantalas (formerly Kociemba) is still ranked in the women's 400m, long jump and triple jump along with the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

In other alumni action, Sarah Howell placed third in the 800m with a time of 2:15.44 at the Oregon Preview while Jessica Harper was third in the 2000m steeple chase with a mark of 7:11.70.

The Western Oregon track and field team will be not be competing in any events next weekend (Mar. 27-29).