Two of Oregon’s most prepared heptathletes will be competing away from home this weekend for the second week in a row.
Juniors Roslyn Lundeen and Lauryn Jordan are scheduled to compete in multiple events at UCLA’s Drake Stadium for the Pacific-10 Conference Championships on
Saturday and Sunday.
For Jordan, a San Joaquin Delta College transfer, this will be her first Pac-10heptathlon. It is only the second heptathalon she will compete in as a Duck.
For Lundeen, who redshirted last season and has competed strictly in the javelin until now, it will be the first heptathalon she’s competed in since high school, according to Oregon
assistant coach Rock Light.
Lundeen owns the fifth-best javelin toss in the Pac-10 this season, and Light feels that she can be confident in the other six disciplines of the heptathlon as well.
“Roslyn does a nice job in all the events,” Light said. “She’s really made great progress.”
Jordan also made personal progress at the Oregon Invitational, where she finished with 5,020 points, moving her into eighth on Oregon’s all-time list and toppled her previous record of 4,895 from 2004.
“I’ve always viewed the heptathlon as one event with many subcomponents,” Light said. “Overall, she just needs to increase her focus about the entire heptathlon and not worry about any individual event.”
Light’s expectations for his heptathletes are simple. He wants Jordan and Lundeen to “score as many points as they can for the team.”
Light said it will be good to have Jordan and Lundeen competing side by side because they support each other well and have fun training together.
“A lot of my family lives in Los Angeles so I’ll have a lot of support down there,” Jordan said.
Jordan said she is posting the biggest targets on sophomores Diana and Julie Pickler of Washington State. Diana holds the Pac-10’s best heptathlon score of the season with
5,492 points, and Julie is second with 5,414. The NCAA automatic qualifying mark is 5,500 points.
California senior Brooke Meredith and Washington senior Grace Vela will also receive some attention, Jordan said.
Road to recovery
Freshman hurdler Kasey Harwood has not competed in Oregon’s last two meets due to recent leg injuries but is working her way back to top shape. Light said he is pleased with her quick recovery.
“The medical team has worked wonders on her,” Light said. “I was
really happy with her (last) workout.”
Harwood and teammate Kayla Mellott both hold solid regional qualifying marks in the 400 hurdles already, and Light said he wants them to rest this weekend.
“I look for them to do very well at the Pac-10s,” Light said.

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