NWC MULTI-EVENTS: Three Bruins Hit Provisional Marks in NWC Multis

Complete Results 

TACOMA, Wash. - Three members of the George Fox University men’s and women’s track and field teams - Beth Stam in the women’s heptathlon and Ryan Forbes and David Dillow in the men’s decathlon - hit NCAA Division III provisional qualifying marks during the Northwest Conference Multi-Event Championships held Monday and Tuesday here at the University of Puget Sound’s Baker Stadium.

Stam scored 4,139 points, surpassing the provisional total needed of 4,100 points.  She finished third overall behind winner Caitlin McGrane of host Puget Sound with 4,409 points, and Brooke Smith of Willamette University with 4,275 points.  Stam’s Bruin teammate, Melissa Leighty, placed fourth with 4,018 points.

Stam made her strong showing with three firsts and one second in field events.  She won the long jump (16-10.5 / 5.14), shot put (33-6.75 / 10.23), and javelin (128-1 / 39.04), and was runner-up in the high jump (5-0.25 / 1.53).  She was sixth in each of the three running events.  Leighty captured the 100 meter hurdles (14.99), placed second in the 200 meter dash (26.78) and long jump (16-4.25 / 4.98), and was third in the high jump (4-8.75 / 1.44).   

In the decathlon, Forbes scored 6,365 points and Dillow 6,237 to finish third and fourth respectively, topping the provisional mark needed of 6,050.  Brothers Josh and Jeremy Lovell of Linfield College took the top two spots with automatic qualifying marks of 7,003 and 6,737 points respectively.  Right behind the Bruin competitors were Grant Piros of Willamette with 6,149 points and Gabe Haberly of Linfield with 6,101, both hitting provisional status.  Adam Haldorson of George Fox was 10th with 5,542 points.

Forbes placed high because of a tie for first in the pole vault (14-1.25 / 4.30), a second in the discus (118-8 / 36.17), and thirds in the 110 meter hurdles (16.06) and high jump (5-10 / 1.78).   Dillow was right behind him due to seconds in the 400 meter dash (50.73) and the 1,500 meter run, and thirds in the 100 meter dash (11.51) and long jump (21-7.5 / 6.59).  Haldorson, competing in the Multi-Events for the first time, had his best showing in the 1,500 meter run, in which he placed fourth with a time of 4:37.12. 

Next up for the Bruins is the Lewis & Clark Invitational Friday-Saturday, April 17-18, in Portland, Ore.  That will be the final tune-up for the Bruins before the Northwest Conference Championships Apr. 24-25 at Forest Grove, Ore.