Women's Track & Field | 4/20/2018 5:56:00 PM

AZUSA, Calif.--Racing in one of the world's fastest fields so far this spring, Western Oregon University's David Ribich shattered an all-time NCAA DII record in the 1,500-meter run on Friday night. 

Lining up in the elite heat at the Azusa Pacific Bryan Clay Invitational, Ribich placed sixth overall with a time of 3:37.35 to displace Mount St. Mary's Kip Cheruiyot from the all-time NCAA DII leaderboard.

Cheruiyot held the former in-season record of 3:38.91 set in 1987. Ribich is now the fourth fastest 1,500 runner all-time among NCAA DII athletes according to USTFCCCA. Cheruiyot holds the all-time fastest performance of 3:33.07 but that was set after the collegiate season while competing in Italy. Peter Rono (3:35.59) and former U.S. record holder Steve Scott (3:36.13) also posted faster times during international competition.  

Beating Ribich to the line with an NCAA DI all-time record, University of New Mexico's Josh Kerr took first in the race on Friday. Kerr's time broke Villanova's Sydney Maree's long-standing NCAA DI record of 3:35.30 set in 1981. 

Already ranked in the top five on the NCAA DII performance list, Dustin Nading also established a career best in the 1,500 with a 3:45.23. The time clipped .68 off Nading's 3:45.91 set at the Stanford Invitational last month. Finishing shy of the NCAA DII provisional barrier, Josh Dempsey raced to a 3:53.44 in the 1,500. 

In the women's 1,500, Suzanne Van De Grift toured the track in a career best time of 4:28.10. The mark moves Van De Grift into the the top position on the GNAC performance list, inside the top 10 on the NCAA DII performance list and to No. 2 in WOU's all-time record books. 

AJ Holmberg led a pack of six Wolves in the men's 800 with a lifetime best time of 1:51.39 that earned an NCAA provisional qualifier. Holmberg's previous best for the two-lapper was a 1:51.60 set at last year's Bryan Clay Invite.

Also turning in lifetime bests in the event were sophomore Curt Knott and freshman Neal Cranston. Narrowly missing the national 'B' standard (1:52.16), Knott cut nearly two full seconds off his previous fastest performance with a 1:52.78 while Cranston's time of 1:53.41 was a 2.01 seconds better than his previous collegiate personal best.

Olivia Woods set a season best in the women's 800 with a time of 2:07.76. Woods bettered her mark from last month by two seconds and finished a sliver shy of the NCAA DII auto qualifying barrier of 2:07.51. Woods holds a lifetime best and school record in the event with a 2:07.38 to her credit.
Trialing Woods with a 2:09.05, Megan Rose tied her career best in the event after running the exact time at Oregon State a year ago.

Darian Wilson turned in a 16.09 in the 100-meter hurdles for a time just shy of her season best of 15.91. In the men's flat 100, Devon Fortier and Codi Blodgett crossed the line in 11.19 and 11.22. Wilson also placed eighth overall in the javelin with a 138-4 (41.27m). In the 200, Cody Warner clocked a wind-aided 21.75 while Devon Fortier turned in a 22.23.

Moving to the men's field events, Chris Steffey and Nick Sieber highlighted WOU action in the discus throw. Steffey placed 14th overall with a 149-5 (45.55m) and Sieber 19th with a 143-5 (43.72m) as both athletes flirted with season-best tosses.

Alani Troutman placed 26th in the long jump with a distance of 22-2 1/4 (6.76m) while Jalon Fields took 31st in the triple jump after landing at 45-1 1/2 (13.75m).

Bryan Clay Invitational
Azusa Pacific University
Cougar Stadium
Azusa, Calif.
April 19-20

WOU WOMEN'S RESULTS
800: 17. Olivia Woods, 2:07.76; 23. Megan Rose, 2:09.05; 87. Grayson Burke, 2:16.55. 1,500: 63. Suzanne Van De Grift, 4:28.10. 100 Hurdles: 54. Darian Wilson, 16.09. 400 Hurdles: 45. Sara Madden, 1:05.04. Shot: 38. Mariah Gronbach, 35-1 3/4 (10.21m). Discus: 21. Halie Korff, 115-5 (35.19m); Mariah Gronbach, F. Javelin: 8. Darian Wilson, 138-4 (41.27m); 16. Halie Korff, 126-0 (38.42m).

WOU MEN'S RESULTS
100: 61. Devon Fortier, 11.19; 66. Codi Blodgett, 22.22. 200: 25. Cody Warner, 21.75; 50. Devon Fortier, 22.23; 102. Codi Blodgett, 29.90. 800: 27. AJ Holmberg, 1:51.39; 48. Curt Knott, 1:52.78; 55. Neal Cranston, 1:53.41; 90. Dominick Marshall, 1:57.31; 92. Thomas Normandeau, 1:57.54; 121. Parker Marson, 2:01.41. 1,500: 6. David Ribich, 3:37.35; 47. Dustin Nading, 3:45.23; 164. Josh Dempsey, 3:53.44; 251. Justin Crosswhite, 4:12.43. Long Jump: 26. Alani Troutman, 22-2 1/4 (6.76m). Triple Jump: 31. Jalon Fields, 45-1 1/2 (13.75m). Shot: 23. Chris Steffey, 46-0 3/4 (14.04m); Nick Sieber, F. Discus: 14. Chris Steffey, 149-5 (45.55m); 19. Nick Sieber, 143-5 (43.72m).

Beach Invitational
Long Beach State University
Jack Rose Track
Long Beach, Calif.
April 20-21

WOU WOMEN'S RESULTS
400: 45. Grayson Burke, 57.93. 400 Hurdles: 57. Sara Madden, 1:04.35. Long Jump: 41. Darian Wilson, 17-6 (5.33m).

WOU MEN'S RESULTS
Long Jump: 27. Alani Troutman, 22-5 (6.83m). Shot: 50. Nick Sieber, 47-9 (14.55m); 66. Chris Steffey, 42-4 (12.90m). Discus: 61. Nick Sieber, 152-10 (46.58m); 81. Chris Steffey, 139-7 (42.55m).