Like a mile-long freight train, you can almost hear the Oregon women’s track and field team picking up steam as it chugs through the front end of the 2001 season.
In their first meet of the outdoor season, the Ducks scored a handful of Pacific-10 Conference qualifying and NCAA provisional marks in different events.
Then, at the Stanford Invitational, Oregon faced tougher competition and high winds, but still managed to lower some scores and notch an NCAA provisional mark.
This weekend, the Ducks will send a group of athletes to the Willamette Invitational in Salem for their final tune-up before a dual meet with Washington at Hayward Field next weekend.
But Oregon head coach Tom Heinonen said he just wants to see the Ducks be consistent. Heinonen said that the distance runners highlighted the Oregon Preview, while throwers starred at the Stanford Invitational.
“We want it all, all the time,” Heinonen said. “It just doesn’t happen all the time.”

bETTER days
Sophomore discus thrower Mary Etter became the third Oregon athlete to score an NCAA provisional mark this season when she threw the discus 168 feet, four inches. But for the all-American, the highlights of the meet were her strong performances in the hammer and shot put as well.
“That’s not normal,” Etter said of her all-around performance. “I’m usually really inconsistent. I never know what’s going to happen, so I just try to take it meet by meet.”
Etter anchors a throwing unit that has performed well this season. Freshman Sarah Malone scored an NCAA provisional mark in the javelin at the Oregon invitational, while Maureen Morrison and Jordan McDaniels have also both turned in strong performances.
“We’ve got depth,” Etter said.
Coach Heinonen said he hopes the throwing unit can keep up the intensity for the Willamette Invitational and the Washington Dual meets.
“Our throwers are really on a roll right now,” Heinonen said.

Jumpin’ Amanda
Junior Amanda Brown finally broke through at Stanford to jump her personal best under what coach Heinonen called “trying circumstances.”
“She sat for hours before she got to compete, because of the size of the meet,” Heinonen said.
Brown’s personal best was a Pac-10 qualifying distance.

Ann-ihilating the heptathlon
Two Oregon runners — freshman Ann Sullivan and junior Jenny Kenyon — competed in the heptathlon for the first time this season at Linfield College last Monday and Tuesday.
Both athletes scored Pac-10 qualifying times.
Sullivan said she hopes to improve on her performance at Linfield where she will get some work in on a few of the heptathlon events.
“I’m working on my throws and jumps,” Sullivan said. “I’m pretty weak in those areas now, so I’m definitely looking forward to some improvement.”
Sullivan had an impressive showing at Stanford last week in the 100-meter hurdles, her main event. She notched a time of 14.16, beating her old personal record of 14.19.
“She’ll win some races before she’s through,” Heinonen said of Sullivan.