PORTLAND, Ore. - In the final week of the regular season, the Portland State track and field team will make one last push to qualify more athletes for the Big Sky Indoor Championship and improve personal-records. A majority of the team will go to Seattle, Wash., for the Husky Classic, while some individuals will travel back to Albuquerque, N.M., for the Don Kirby Invitational.

LAST TIME OUT:
The Vikings went to New York City to compete in the New Balance College Invitational at the Armory. The meet featured many of the U.S. and Canada's top-track programs and clubs in country, giving the Vikings a chance to prove their might on a national stage.

Though no one PR'd at the event, the times and marks posted at the meet indicated a high-level of consistency. Geronne Black and Karene King finished 22nd and 23rd, respectively, in the 60-meters and posted times of 7.54 and 7.55 seconds, but did not advance to the championship final. Black and King enter the final weekend of the regular season ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the Big Sky, respectively.

Tony Crisofulli placed the highest at the Armory last weekend, finishing 12th in the 800-meters top heat. He ran a time of 1:51.81 minutes, three-seconds shy of the race's top-time and the fifth-fastest time in the NCAA this season.

Other Vikings in action maintained a high-level of consistency as well, with Anaiah Rhodes charting a 7.94 60-meters and a 25.62 in the 200-meters. John Lawrence recorded a 4:16.32 in the mile and Amber Rozcicha made the 800-meters in 2:22.45.

THE SPLIT:
As mentioned before the team will split this weekend, sending most of its members to Seattle and some individuals to Albuquerque. Geronne Black, P'Lar Dorsett Karene King and Anaiah Rhodes will travel to the Don Kirby Invitational at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

Both Black and King recorded career-best times at the track earlier this season at the Cherry & Silver Invitational Jan. 21-22. Black registered a 7.46 in the 60-meters and King ran a 24.31 in the 200-meters, placing both of them in the country's top-50 at the time.

"THE MAN" RETURNS:
Making his 2011 indoor debut this weekend, All-Big Sky football player and on-and-off again track star DeShawn Shead will be appearing with the Vikings at the Husky Classic.

Shead competed with PSU three times during the 2010 outdoor season and highlighted his year with a 14.49 second showing in the 110-meter hurdles, placing him amongst the West Region's top-50 for most of the season.

Shead is No. 2 all-time in the 110-meter hurdles and No. 8 all-time in the decathlon at PSU. This past season on the gridiron, the Palmdale, Calif., native was named a team captain and collected second team All-Big Sky distinction, along with Academic All-Big Sky honors.

NOT BAD FOR A FRESHMAN:
The future looks bright for PSU freshman distance runner Zach Carpenter. The Whitmore Lake, Mich., native is No. 10 in the Big Sky in the mile with a 4:16.56, ranking him eighth all-time at Portland State as well. He is the highest-ranked freshman in the Big Sky in that event. Not bad for a former walk-on huh?

BIG SKY QUALIFIERS:
The athletes listed below have posted times or distances that qualify them for the Big Sky Indoor Championship in Pocatello, Idaho Feb. 25-26.

Women
Name / Event(s)
Geronne Black / 60m*
Adrienne Davis / Shot put
P'lar Dorsett / 60m hurdles
Karene King / 60m, 200m*
Anaiah Rhodes/ 200m
Amber Rozcicha / 800m
Joenisha Vinson / Pentathlon, 60m hurdles*

Men
Name / Event(s)
Tony Crisofulli / 800m*

* - Indicates the top-time or mark in the Big Sky this season

NEXT UP:
The regular season closes after this weekend and those who qualify will travel to Pocatello, Idaho for the Big Sky Indoor Championships. The event will be hosted Feb. 25 and 26 by Idaho State at Holt Arena.