WILLAMETTE MULTIS: Leighty 3rd in Heptathlon with NCAA Provisional Marks

Willamette Heptathlon Results

SALEM, Ore. – Becoming the second George Fox University Bruin to hit an NCAA provisional mark in the heptathlon this season, Melissa Leighty scored 4,364 points to finish third in the Willamette University Multi-Events held Sunday and Monday here at the Charles Bowles Track. 

Leighty topped the NCAA Division III provisional standard of 4,100 points, joining Beth Stam as Bruins who have qualified provisionally for the NCAA Division III National Championships.  Stam, who had 4,139 points in the Northwest Conference heptathlon, also participated in the Willamette meet, finishing seventh with 3,986 points.  Leighty now stands 16th nationally while Stam is 24th.

Leighty compiled her score with second-place finishes in the 100 meter hurdles (14.89), 200 meter dash (25.88), and long jump (17-0.25 / 5.19m), a tie for third in the high jump (4-11.5 / 1.51m), a fourth in the 800 meter run (2:33.98), a sixth in the shot put (28-2.25 / 8.59m), and a seventh in the javelin (80-6 / 24.54m).  Her 100 hurdles time bested the NCAA provisional mark of 14.95 and ranks 24th nationally.

Stam’s best event in the Willamette meet was the javelin, which she threw 126-11 (38.69m) to win.  She also placed third in three events: the high jump, in which she tied (4-11.5 / 1.51m), the shot put (31-10 / 9.70m), and the long jump (16-9.5 / 5.12m).

George Fox 2009 NCAA Division III Qualifiers

Men

Joel Krebs - Javelin (6th, 203-7 / 62.6m)

Ryan Forbes - Decathlon (9th, 6,365 pts)

David Dillow - Decathlon (14th, 6,237 pts)

Nate Dillow - Decathlon (20th, 6,161 pts)

Dakari Kongela - 100 (28th, 10.78)

Women

Beth Stam - Javelin (7th, 142-0 / 43.28m), Heptathlon (24th, 4,139 pts)

Irene Johnson - 100 Hurdles (8th, 14.47 - new school record)

Melissa Leighty - Heptathlon (16th, 4,364 pts), 100 Hurdles (24th, 14.89)

Cindy Walsh - Long Jump (29th, 18-0.25 /5.49m)