Track & Field | 4/7/2011 11:54:02 AM

This week:
The Western Oregon University track & field team will host the 5th annual John Knight Twilight meet this Friday (Apr. 8). The meet will get started with the field events at 3:15 p.m. The running events will begin at 4:00 p.m. with the women's 4x100m relay. This will be Western Oregon's only non-championships home event of the 2011 season.

The Facilities:
The meet will be held at McArthur Field on the campus of Western Oregon University. The track is an international-standard sized and is a 400-meter oval features 48-inch-wide lanes, a wider radius on the curves conducive to record performances. The throwing events will take place on the south side of the stadium, except for the javelin which will take place on the infield of the track.

A look back at Knight:
John Knight coached WOU's track and field program from 1989 to 2003. He had 17 individual national champions during that time, and won national coach of the year honors in 2003 (NCAA) and 1993 (NAIA). In his collegiate career, he coached over 250 All-Americans and was named a conference coach of the year for eight consecutive seasons from 1996-2003 in the Cascade Conference, Pacific West Conference and Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Knight is a member of the NAIA track and field Hall of Fame.

Weekend recap:
Will Crook earned an NCAA provisional qualifying standard in the javelin as he was the top collegiate finisher at the Willamette Invitational with a toss of 195-9 (59.67m). This is the second consecutive season Crook has had a provisional standard in the javelin. Zach Massari also posted a strong performance in the men's 1,500m. He won the event with a season-best time of 4:00.61. The Wolves also received second place finishes from Jason Slowey in the shot put, Tim Lundy in the pole vault and Michael Shogren in the 5,000m.

Records fall:
When Chris Reed ran a time of 14.21.14 in the 5k at the Stanford Invitational he moved into first place in school history. This gave Reed possession of his fifth school record. He already owns the school's indoor records in the mile and the 5k. Reed also ran the fourth leg on the Wolves' All-American distance medley relay team. Reed's 5k time gave him his second outdoor record. He also owns the school's 10k record, having set the mark during the 2010 season.

Meet the NCAA standards:
With his throw of 195-9 (59.67m), Will Crook became the fifth member of the Western Oregon track & field team to place their name on the NCAA provisional qualifying list. Crook joined fellow male student-athletes Chris Reed and Brandon Snook, and females Amanda Schumaker and Ashley Potter.

Amanda Schumaker grabbed her provisional standard in the first meet of the season as this 2010 All-American looks to return to Nationals. She recorded a throw of 145-10 (44.45m) in the javelin at the Willamette Opener to ascend to the top spot in the GNAC and she has still not relinquished her spot.

Ashley Potter is also looking to get back to National for the second straight season. She registered a leap of 39-1.75 (11.93m) in the triple jump at the Oregon Preview en route to winning the event.

Chris Reed, who also participated at 2010 Nationals, earned his NCAA provisional standard in the 5k with that school record run of 14:21.14.

Brandon Snook earned his first NCAA provisional standard in the men's 3,000 meter steeplechase with a time of 9:18.82 at the SFSU Distance Carnival.

Nationally ranked:
After the men ended the indoor season as the No. 1 team in the West Region, it is now the women's turn to receive recognition. In the initial USTFCCCA poll the women's team was receiving 49.72 points to rank 23rd nationally. In the latest poll, the female Wolves have moved up one spot to No. 22 in the country.

Both the men's and women's teams are ranked in the West Region. The men are sitting in fourth with 366.96 points, while the women are ninth with 167.88 points.

Southern California meets next:
The Wolves will be in southern California next weekend to compete in a number of meets. Members of the team will be representing Western Oregon at the Mt. SAC Relays, the Azusa Pacific meet and the Long Beach State Invitational. Competition with begin on Friday, Apr. 15.