Kingstad, Freeby, Kennedy and Ostrander Qualify for NCAA Championships

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Exceptional results this spring have allowed four Willamette University track and field athletes to qualify for the 2013 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Competition is set for Roger Harring Stadium at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse from May 23-25.

Athletes selected from the Willamette women's team were were Michaela Freeby (So., Milwaukie, OR/Rex Putnam HS) and Taylor Ostrander (Fr., Soldotna, AK/Kenai Central HS), both in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Qualifying from the Bearcat men's team were Kit Kingstad (Jr., Beaverton, OR/Beaverton HS) in the men's 1,500-meter run and Carson Kennedy (So., Forest Grove, OR/Forest Grove HS) in the decathlon.

Freeby achieved a personal record time of 10:37.91 in the steeplechase at the West Coast Invitational on May 11. Her time ranks fourth in NCAA Division III this spring. Ostrander registered a personal record of 11:02.01 on May 17 at the Gregory Invitational in Naperville, Ill. She ranks 18th in the nation.

Kingstad completed the 1,500-meter run in 3:48.53 at the West Coast Invitational. The time set a new personal record. He is third on the national performance list.

Kennedy earned a decathlon score of 6,283 on May 9-10 during the West Coast Invitational, as he established a personal record. He attained more than 650 points in six of the 10 events, and set personal records in the pole vault and the 100-meter dash. His overall performance ranks 17th in NCAA Division III this season.

Freeby and Kingstad are making their second consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships. Last season, Freeby placed 13th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and Kingstad took 16th place in the 1,500-meter run.

The top 20 men and the top 22 women on the national performance list in each event were selected for the NCAA Championships. After official declarations of intent to compete were received by the NCAA any open spots in an event were filled with the next highest result.

Meka Townsend (Fr., Okanogan, WA/Okanogan HS) of Willamette, who was ranked #24 in the javelin throw with a top toss of 134' 1" missed qualifying by just one position. Cassidy Stevick from Whitworth University, ranked #23 at 134' 4", made the field when one of the top 22 qualifiers did not declare to compete.

Other Bearcats who just missed qualifying were Wyatt Briggs (Sr., Scio, OR/Scio HS) in the men's hammer throw (182' 3") and Bekah Daniel (So., Silverdale, WA/Central Kitsap HS) in the women's heptathlon (4,464 points). Briggs is ranked #25 in the hammer throw and Daniel is ranked #31 in the heptathlon.