Willamette 4 x 400 Relay Earns NCAA Provisional Qualifying Time at Oregon Relays

Bearcats Cross Finish Line in 3:54.37

Jordyn Smith ran Willamette's third leg in the 4 x 400-meter relay at the Oregon Relays.

EUGENE, ORE. -- The Willamette University women's 4 x 400-meter relay team achieved a provisional qualifying time for the NCAA Division III National Championships while running at the Oregon Relays on Saturday, April 26 at Hayward Field. The Bearcats, who won the Northwest Conference 4 x 400 relay championship a week ago, took fourth place at Oregon with a time of 3:54.37, more than a second and a half under the provisional qualifying standard of 3:56.00.

Willamette finished fourth in the race behind the University of Oregon (3:48.19), Central Michigan University (3:49.50) and Wichita State University's "A" team (3:49.87). The Bearcats crossed the finish line significantly in front of the Wichita State "B" team (4:01.39), Eastern Washington University (4:02.11) and the Oregon Institute of Technology (4:05.17).

Running for Willamette were Jennifer Luecht (So., Milwaukie, OR/Rex Putnam HS), Kaitlin St. John (So., Bend, OR/Mountain View HS), Jordyn Smith (Sr., Henderson, NV/Green Valley HS) and Lydia Marsalli (So., Klamath Falls, OR/Klamath Union HS). The foursome cut an impressive three minutes and 35 seconds from their NWC winning time of 3:58.12.

Willamette's next track and field competition is the Pacific Twilight meet on Friday, May 2 in Forest Grove, Ore. Meet time is set for 3:30 p.m. (PDT).

Saturday, April 26
Oregon Relays at Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore. - Willamette Results

For More Information:
Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110