The Oregon women’s track and field team did what it intended to do last weekend: advance as many athletes as possible from the Western Regionals in Provo, Utah to the NCAA Championships.
Oregon now has one week to rest and prepare for the NCAA Championships, held June 7-10 in Sacramento, Calif. Freshman Rachel Yurkovich opened the regionals Friday on BYU’s campus and promptly won the javelin competition with a throw of 165-7. She started slow, tossing three consecutive throws of 161-5 or less and suggested a change to throws coach Lance Deal.
“I used a seven-step on my last few throws and got my best one off it, so it worked out,” Yurkovich said in a University press release. “It felt a little different to be away from Hayward Field since we’ve been at home most of the season, so I had to try and get up for it in a different way, which was good since NCAAs aren’t at Hayward Field – although it would be awesome if they were.”
Two Oregon runners, freshman Zoe Nelson and sophomore Sarah Pearson, placed seventh (17 minutes, 30.33 seconds) and 14th (17:53.01), respectively, in the 5,000 meters.
Rebekah Noble and Sara Schaaf followed up Friday preliminary races with NCAA qualifying times Saturday. Noble earned the 800 title in 2:06.45 with Schaaf close behind in fourth at 2:09.23. She’ll be making the first national appearance of her four-year Oregon career.
Thrower Brittany Hinchcliffe saved one of her best performances for regionals, finishing third with a personal record of 210-5. Hinchcliffe recovered from a 182-1 on her first throw and a foul on her second attempt. On her third throw she advanced to the final with a toss of 205-0.
“I needed a good third throw to make the final last year too so I was in familiar territory,” Hinchcliffe said in a University press release. “The field was great coming in, and they all had good early throws, so I knew it would probably have to throw at least 60 meters (196-10) to make the final.”
Hinchcliffe moved to 208-5 on the fourth throw, 207-11 on her fifth and her best in six meets this season, 210-5, on her sixth and final throw.
“I really wanted to end my career as an All-American, but that means I had to make Nationals, so I came in ready to do whatever it took,” Hinchcliffe said.
She flew back Saturday night, arriving in Eugene around 10:30 p.m. and participated in the Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field the next day.
“That was great and exactly what I wanted to do,” Hinchcliffe said
Sunday of Regionals. “Now I have my mark to go to nationals. I’m going to train hard for another week and see what happens at nationals.”
Teammate Britney Henry placed fourth in regionals with 209-3 and earned an automatic NCAA invite. She started the meet ranked second nationally and first in the region from her record throw of 221-7, a school best.
Junior Emily Enders pole vaulted her way to Sacramento with her highest regional finish of third place after clearing a height of 13-7 3/4.Sophomore Kasey Harwood gained a berth in the 400-meter hurdles with a fifth-place finish in 59.79.
Senior Lauryn Jordan, short of a NCAA invite in the triple jump (41-10, sixth), qualified in Friday’s long jump (20-10 1/2, fourth). She and freshman Kalindra McFadden have already qualified for the NCAA heptathlon.
Graduate student Amber McGown finished 10th in the 1,500 (4:31.44) and is in contention for an at-large berth, which will be announced this week.