MEET NOTES

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland State track and field teams' distance runners head to the Bay Area this weekend, as the Vikings send athletes to the Stanford Invitational and SF State Distance Carnival.
 
Senior Sarah Dean and freshmen Nathan Fleck and Ben Richardson will compete at the Stanford Invitational in Stanford, Calif., on Friday, April 4, and Saturday, April 5. Dean, who has already qualified for the Big Sky meet in the 800 and 1,500 meters, will run in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters Friday, while Fleck and Richardson will run in the men's 800 meters Saturday.
 
Meanwhile, the Vikings will send 10 athletes to the SF State Distance Carnival on Friday, April 4.
 
The rest of the Viking track and field teams have the week off, but will return to action next weekend, as PSU will send a large contingent of athletes to the Mondo Mid-Major Challenge Thursday to Saturday, April 10-12, in Sacramento, Calif.
 
MEET SPECIFICS:
April 4-5 – Stanford Invitational – Stanford, Calif. – Cobb Track and Angell Field
April 4 – SF State Distance Carnival – San Francisco, Calif. – Cox Stadium
 
STANFORD INVITATIONAL SCHEDULE (PSU entries only):
Friday, April 4
Running Events
Start (PT)                  Event (PSU entries)
11:18 a.m.                 Women's 5,000 Meters – Section #4 (Dean)
10 p.m.                      Women's 10,000 Meters – Section #2 (Dean)
 
Saturday, April 5
Running Events
Start (PT)                  Event (PSU entries)
2:57 p.m.                   Men's 800 Meters (Fleck, Richardson)
 
SF STATE DISTANCE CARNIVAL SCHEDULE (PSU entries only):
Friday, April 4
Running Events
Start (PT)                  Event (PSU entries)
8:30 a.m.                   Women's 10,000 Meters (Coleman)
10:25 a.m.                 Women's 1,500 Meters (Contos, Hollins)
11:20 a.m.                 Men's 1,500 Meters (Brown, Seibert)
1 p.m.                       Women's 800 Meters (Contos, Hollins, Loveland)
1:25 p.m.                   Men's 800 Meters (Brown, Fleck, Richardson, Seibert)
2:05 p.m.                   Women's 5,000 Meters (Coleman)
3:25 p.m.                   Men's 5,000 Meters (Schwartz, Talik)
 
LIVE RESULTS:
Live results will be available for both meets this weekend. The links to live results for both matches are available on the track and field schedule pages on GoViks.com.
 
LIVE VIDEO:
Flotrack will stream the Stanford Invitational live on both Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5. Fans hoping to view the meet will have to sign up for a Flotrack Pro account, however, which costs money.
 
COMING UP:
The Portland State track and field teams return to California for the Mondo Mid-Major Challenge Thursday to Saturday, April 10-12, in Sacramento, Calif.
 
VICTOR LOPEZ CLASSIC RECAP:
The Portland State Vikings won five events at the Victor Lopez Classic Saturday, March 29, at the Rice University Track Stadium in Houston, Texas. Sophomore Sheldon Prince and freshman Whitney Diggs swept the men's and women's 400 meters for the Vikings, while Prince also won the men's 100 meters. Prince lowered his Big Sky-leading 400 time to 47.65 seconds in winning the men's 400, putting him just .27 seconds behind Anthony Robinson's 11-year-old school record of 47.38 seconds. Diggs, meanwhile, won the women's 400 meters in 54.65 seconds, a time that leads the Big Sky by more than a second. Outside of Prince and Diggs, freshman Baileh Simms won the women's long jump by four and a half inches, as she jumped a Big Sky-leading 19-04.25 (5.90m) at the meet. Junior Jazmin Ratcliff and freshman CeCelia Jackson also went 1-2 in the 100-meter hurdles, a week after the duo went 1-2 in the same event at the Oregon Preview. Jackson also qualified for the Big Sky meet in the 400-meter hurdles, as she finished fourth in the event in 1:02.48. Additionally, Ratcliff, freshman Genna Settle, Simms and sophomore Adia White finished second in the 4x100-meter relay in a Big Sky-leading 46.07 seconds.
 
WILLAMETTE INVITATONAL RECAP:
The Vikings set or bettered six Big Sky qualifying marks Saturday, March 29, at the Willamette Invitational at the Charles Bowles Track in Salem, Ore. Senior Sarah Dean led the Vikings' group of Big Sky qualifiers, as she won the women's 800 meters by over two and a half seconds. Dean finished in 2:10.61 at the meet, a time that leads the Big Sky by over two full seconds. Dean qualified in the 1,500 meters as well, as she placed third in the event in 4:32.87. Besides Dean, senior Allison Burkett qualified for the Big Sky meet while winning the javelin with a throw of 135-06.25 (41.30m). Sophomore thrower Sydney Johnson also won the discus at the meet Saturday while improving her Big Sky qualifying mark in the event with a throw of 142-07.25 (43.46m). Junior Jasmine Woods, meanwhile, qualified for the Big Sky in the 100 meters, placing second in 12.06 seconds. Additionally, sophomore Rockwell Tufty improved his Big Sky qualifying mark in the high jump while placing second in the event with a jump of 6-07.75 (2.03m). Freshman Roazena Miller won the women's 400 meters for the Vikings as well, finishing in 1:00.47.
 
OREGON PREVIEW RECAP:
The Vikings opened their 2014 outdoor schedule with nine Big Sky qualifying marks at the Oregon Preview Saturday, March 22, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. Freshman Genna Settle and sophomore Michael Kubisiak gave the Vikings two Big Sky qualifiers while winning their respective sides of the women's and men's 100 meters. Settle won the women's 100 in 12.00 seconds, while Kubisiak won the men's 100 in a Big Sky-leading time of 10.72 seconds. Junior Jazmin Ratcliff and freshman CeCelia Jackson, meanwhile, went 1-2 in the 100-meter hurdles in Big Sky-qualifying times of 14.14 and 14.32 seconds, respectively. Sophomore Sheldon Prince also qualified in the 200 and 400 meters at the Oregon Preview, as he placed second in both in 21.81 and 47.88 seconds, respectively. Prince's time of 47.88 seconds in the 400 moved him up to No. 2 all-time in the event at Portland State, and ranked him atop the Big Sky in the 400 after week one. Besides Prince, sophomore Sydney Johnson, freshman Baileh Simms and sophomore Rockwell Tufty hit Big Sky qualifying marks in the women's discus, women's long jump and men's high jump, respectively. Johnson qualified in the discus with a throw of 141-08 (43.17m), while Simms qualified in the long jump with a jump of 18-07.25 (5.67m), and Tufty qualified in the high jump with a jump of 6-07.50 (2.02m). Additionally, seniors Sarah Dean and Nevin Lewis moved up the PSU career lists in the women's 3,000 meters and men's pole vault, respectively. Dean moved up to No. 3 all-time in the 3,000 with her time of 9:45.97 in the event, while Lewis moved up to fourth all-time in the pole vault with his mark of 14-07.25 (4.45m).
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS:
The Vikings rank in the top 95 nationally in six different events so far this season, and have four athletes ranked in the top 50. Of the Vikings in the top 50 nationally, freshman Whitney Diggs ranks 25th in the women's 400 in 54.65 seconds, sophomore Sheldon Prince ranks 26th in the men's 400 in 47.65 seconds, senior Sarah Dean ranks 37th in the women's 800 in 2:10.61 and freshman Baileh Simms ranks 49th in the women's long jump with a mark of 19-04.25 (5.90m). The national rankings will come into play at the end of the season, as qualification for the NCAA West Preliminary will be based on the descending-order lists in each event. Any Viking ranked in the top 95 nationally has a good chance of making the NCAA West Preliminary, as the top 48 declared student-athletes in each event in the west region will qualify for the meet.
 
Vikings in National Rankings
Women:
400m
25. Whitney Diggs                 54.65
 
800m
37. Sarah Dean                     2:10.61
 
4x100m Relay
74. Portland State                 46.07
(Ratcliff, Settle, Simms, White)
 
Long Jump
49. Baileh Simms                 19-04.25 (5.90m)
 
Men:
400m
26. Sheldon Prince               47.65
 
High Jump
80. Rockwell Tufty                6-07.75 (2.03m)
 
Big Sky Qualifiers:
The Portland State Vikings have hit 17 Big Sky qualifying marks so far this season (13 by women, four by men). Qualifying marks assure the athlete of competing at the Big Sky Outdoor Championships May 14-17 in Flagstaff, Ariz. Beyond the Big Sky auto qualifiers, the rest of the field in each event will be based on the descending-order lists within the conference.
 
PSU Big Sky Auto Qualifiers (through March 29)
Allison Burkett – Javelin – 135-06.25 (41.30m) – Willamette Invitational (3/29/14)
Sarah Dean – 800m – 2:10.61 – Willamette Invitational (3/29/14)
Sarah Dean – 1,500m – 4:32.87 – Willamette Invitational (3/29/14)
Whitney Diggs – 200m – 24.60 – Victor Lopez Classic (3/29/14)
Whitney Diggs – 400m – 54.65 – Victor Lopez Classic (3/29/14)
CeCelia Jackson – 100m Hurdles – 14.25 – Victor Lopez Classic (3/29/14)
CeCelia Jackson – 400m Hurdles – 1:02.48 – Victor Lopez Classic (3/29/14)
Sydney Johnson– Discus – 142-07.25 (43.46m) – Willamette Invitational (3/29/14)
Jazmin Ratcliff – 100m Hurdles – 14.08 – Victor Lope Classic (3/29/14)
Genna Settle – 100m – 12.00 – Oregon Preview (3/22/14)
Genna Settle – 200m – 24.72 – Victor Lopez Classic (3/29/14)
Baileh Simms – Long Jump – 19-04.25 (5.90m) – Victor Lopez Classic (3/29/14)
Jasmine Woods – 100m – 12.06 – Willamette Invitational (3/29/14)
Men:
Michael Kubisiak – 100m – 10.72 – Oregon Preview (3/22/14)
Sheldon Prince – 200m – 21.81 – Oregon Preview (3/22/14)
Sheldon Prince – 400m – 47.65 – Victor Lopez Classic (3/29/14)
Rockwell Tufty – High Jump – 6-07.75 (2.03m) – Willamette Invitational (3/29/14)
 
VIKINGS IN BIG SKY TOP 20:
Women:
100m
3. Genna Settle                     12.00*
6. Jasmine Woods                 12.06*
9. Jazmin Ratcliff                  12.17
T-12. Baileh Simms               12.39
T-12. Adia White                   12.39
19. Nettie Wayne                  12.62
 
200m
4. Whitney Diggs                   24.60*
5. Genna Settle                     24.72*
10. Jazmin Ratcliff                 25.15
11. Jasmine Woods               25.20
14. Adia White                       25.39
16. Dejuanae Toliver              25.61
 
400m
1. Whitney Diggs                   54.65*
 
800m
1. Sarah Dean                       2:10.61*
17. Erica Contos                   2:17.82
 
1,500m
3. Sarah Dean                       4:32.87*
19. Erica Contos                   4:49.42
 
100m Hurdles
2. Jazmin Ratcliff                  14.08*
6. CeCelia Jackson               14.25*
 
400m Hurdles
4. CeCelia Jackson               1:02.48*
17. Roazena Miller                1:07.10
 
4x100m Relay
1. Portland State                   46.07
 
High Jump
T-18. CeCelia Jackson           5-01.75 (1.57m)
T-18. Kaeli Patton                  5-01.75 (1.57m)
 
Long Jump
1. Baileh Simms                    19-04.25 (5.90m)*
 
Shot Put
18. Sydney Johnson              40-10.50 (12.46m)
 
Discus
7. Sydney Johnson                142-07 (43.46m)*
14. Shae Carson                    132-07 (40.41m)
 
Javelin
6. Allison Burkett                   135-06 (41.30m)*
 
Men:
100m
1. Michael Kubisiak               10.72*
 
200m
4. Sheldon Prince                  21.81*
9. Michael Kubisiak               22.18
19. Mitchell Gable                 22.44
 
400m
1. Sheldon Prince                  47.65*
18. Christian Wood                50.05
19. Mitchell Gable                 50.06
 
800m
17. Neil Seibert                     1:57.81
19. T-Roy Brown                   1:58.01
 
1,500m
11. T-Roy Brown                    3:57.41
16. Neil Seibert                      4:01.61
 
5,000m
15. Jordan Landstrom            16:21.98
 
110m Hurdles
16. Nevin Lewis                     15.79
 
High Jump
T-4. Rockwell Tufty               6-08.00 (2.03m)*
9. Kevin Robinson                 6-04.00 (1.93m)
T-13. Mitchell Gable              6-02.00 (1.88m)
 
Pole Vault
10. Nevin Lewis                     14-07.25 (4.45m)
 
Triple Jump
6. Tyson Stipic                      44-01.25 (13.44m)
 
* - Mark automatically qualifies athlete for Big Sky Outdoor Championships
 
2014 INDOOR SEASON RECAP:
The Portland State Vikings won two Big Sky individual championships, set six school records and earned seven All-Big Sky performances during the 2014 indoor season. Freshman Gifton Okoronkwo and sophomore Sheldon Prince won the Vikings' two Big Sky titles, as they won the men's triple jump and 400 meters, respectively. Prince won his title in the 400 meters in a school-record time of 47.86 seconds. Prince lowered his own record with his time in the 400-meter final, and now leads the No. 2 time – Mitch Whalen and J.J. Rosenberg at 48.78 – by nearly a full second. Besides Prince, five other school records fell during the indoor season, including two others at the Big Sky Championships. Junior Jazmin Ratcliff crushed Joenisha Vinson's old record in the 60-meter hurdles, as she crossed the line in 8.35 seconds in the prelims of the event at the Big Sky meet. Freshman Whitney Diggs, meanwhile, broke the record in the 400 meters in the prelims, then lowered her time in the finals to 54.89 seconds, becoming the first PSU runner to crack 55 seconds in the women's 400. Diggs placed third in the finals of the 400 meters to earn All-Big Sky honors in the event, while sophomore Michael Kubisiak (3rd in 60m), Okoronkwo (1st in triple jump), Prince (1st in 400m), Ratcliff (2nd in 60m Hurdles; 3rd in 60m) and freshman Baileh Simms (2nd in long jump) all earned All-Big Sky honors as well. The Viking distance crew, meanwhile, set the other three school records earlier in the season, as T-Roy Brown, Sarah Dean and Camelia Mayfield set records in the men's 3,000 meters, women's mile and women's 5,000 meters, respectively. Brown set the record in the men's 3,000 meters at 8:21.04 at the season-opening UW Indoor Preview on Jan. 18. Dean and Mayfield, meanwhile, set their records two weeks later at the UW Invitational (Jan. 31-Feb. 1), with Dean setting the new women's mile mark at 4:51.32, and Mayfield breaking her own record in the women's 5,000 meters by over 40 seconds with a time of 17:02.49.
 
Big Sky Champions:
Men:
Gifton Okoronkwo – Triple Jump – 48-05.25 (14.76m)
Sheldon Prince – 400m – 47.86
 
All-Big Sky Performers:
Men:
Gifton Okoronkwo – 1st – Triple Jump – 48-05.25 (14.76m)
Sheldon Prince – 1st – 400m – 47.86
Michael Kubisiak – 3rd – 60m – 6.88
Women:
Baileh Simms – 2nd – Long Jump – 19-05.50 (5.93m)
Jazmin Ratcliff – 2nd – 60m Hurdles – 8.44
Whitney Diggs – 3rd – 400m – 54.89
Jazmin Ratcliff – 3rd – 60m – 7.50
 
PSU School Records Broken:
Men:
T-Roy Brown – 8:21.04 – 3,000m
Sheldon Prince – 47.86 – 400m
Women:
Sarah Dean – 4:51.32 – Mile
Whitney Diggs – 54.89 – 400m
Camelia Mayfield – 17:02.49 – 5,000m
Jazmin Ratcliff – 8.35 – 60m Hurdles
 
RESURGENT MEN:
The Portland State men's track and field team had its best showing at the Big Sky Indoor Championships since 2005 this season, scoring 39 points at the meet to place eighth overall. The 39 points the Viking men scored at the Big Sky Indoor meet represent the second-best total in program history, behind only the 54 the team scored in 2005. Additionally, 30.5 of the team's 39 points came from freshmen or sophomores, while both Big Sky champions and all three All-Big Sky performers are underclassmen as well.
 
YOUTH UPRISING:
Youth has not been wasted on the young for the Vikings, as five of PSU's seven All-Big Sky performances at the Big Sky Indoor Championships (Feb. 27-March 1) came from underclassmen. Freshmen Gifton Okoronkwo (1st in men's triple jump), Whitney Diggs (3rd in women's 400m) and Baileh Simms (2nd in women's long jump), and sophomores Sheldon Prince (1st in men's 400m) and Michael Kubisiak (3rd in men's 60m) earned the All-Big Sky honors for the Vikings' youth, capping a strong indoor season for the team's underclassmen. Leading into the conference meet, 14 of the team's 22 automatic Big Sky qualifiers for the indoor meet were underclassmen, and 30.5 of the men's 39 points and at least part of 28 of the women's 57 points at the Big Sky meet came from underclassmen as well. The Vikings youth have started the outdoor season strongly, too, as 12 of the Vikings' 17 Big Sky qualifying marks have come from underclassmen. The Vikings will need more strong showings from their youth during the outdoor season, as the men's roster features 18 underclassmen among its 22 athletes (seven freshmen, 11 sophomores), while the women's roster features 18 underclassmen among its 29 athletes (10 freshmen, eight sophomores).
 
BIG SKY PRESEASON POLL:
The Portland State women's and men's track and field teams were picked fifth and ninth, respectively, in the Big Sky's preseason coaches' poll. Northern Arizona was picked to sweep the titles, and was a unanimous selection on the men's side. Northern Arizona earned 121 points and all 11 first-place votes in the men's poll, well ahead of second-place Sacramento State (104 points) and third-place Montana (88 points). The Northern Arizona women, meanwhile, topped their side of the poll with 116 points and seven first-place votes. Sacramento State followed the NAU women with 104 points and four first-place votes, while Montana and Weber State tied for third with 94 points. The Viking women finished with 76 points on their side of the poll, while the Viking men finished with 37.
 
VIKINGS UNDER COACH HARRISON:
Six-year head coach Ronnye Harrison has led the Portland State men's and women's track and field teams to several records in his tenure at the school. Harrison has coached 29 Big Sky individual champions in his tenure, including 20 in the sprints. Additionally, four athletes have been named Big Sky Athletes of the Meet, while athletes have won 43 athletes Big Sky silver and bronze medals (23 silver, 20 bronze) and earned 72 All-Big Sky honors. The Vikings have also won six straight Big Sky titles in the outdoor 100 meters under Harrison, and set five Big Sky Conference records (women's indoor 55, indoor 60, indoor 200, outdoor 100 and outdoor 200).