DAY ONE RESULTS
GULF SHORES, Ala. – For senior Talitha Fagen, the fourth time proved to be a charm. Despite battling potential season-ending injuries during the 2016 campaign, Fagen capped her career with her first outdoor pole vault title, as the Eastern Oregon University track & field team posted three school records on day one of the NAIA National Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Fagen, who boasts three indoor pole vault titles, cleared a school-record 3.90m to muster 10 points and her first outdoor championship.
EOU carded two additional school records on Thursday afternoon, as a pair of juniors in Pancho Saldana and Rachel Roelle busted out strong performances in the javelin and 3000m steeplechase, respectively.
Saldana heaved 61.93m (203-2.50) on his fifth attempt of the day to earn NAIA All-America honors, while Carroll's David Barnett launched a mark of 62.33m (204-6.25) to steal the title. On the track, Roelle posted a remarkable race in the steeplechase, ousting her initial ranking of No. 24 to snag 16th place with a school-record time of 11:17.58.
While Saldana's effort highlighted the throwing events, it was freshman Kolton Cobb who stepped up to trounce his personal best by nearly nine feet, hurling 58.60m (192-3.25) to earn ninth place. His freshman companion Austin Kilcup finished 17th with a tally of 54.03m (177-3.50).
In the men's 400m hurdles, senior Ryan Rosenau qualified for the finals after clocking second place in the prelims with a time of 53.07 seconds.
Day one of the championships began with the prelims of the women's 4x100m, as junior Kendall Current and a trio of freshmen in Amie Zitterkob, Andrea Lemus, and Morgan Reddington took the track for a final time this season. After keeping pace with the frontrunners of heat one, the foursome ultimately settled for a fifth-place finish in the heat with a time of 48.17. EOU took 15th overall in the event, a seed higher than its initial ranking.
In the women's 400m hurdles, freshman Katie Emerson took fifth in her heat and 18th overall with a mark of 1:04.82.
Reddington, who broke a 44-year-old school record in the long jump at the conference championships, finished tied for 28th with a leap of 5.04m (16-6.50).
In the women's javelin, sophomore Liz Ayers took 21st with a toss of 35.13m (115-3.25).
The Mountaineers return to action tomorrow at 11 a.m. PST with the men's long jump. To follow live stats, click here.
EOU MARKS - DAY ONE
Talitha Fagen, pole vault, 3.90m (1st)
Pancho Saldana, javelin, 61.93m (2nd)
Ryan Rosenau, 400m hurdles, 53.07 (2nd - prelims, qualified for finals)
Kolton Cobb, javelin, 58.60m (9th)
Women's 4x100m, 48.17 (15th)
Rachel Roelle, 3000m steeplechase, 11:17.58 (16th)
Austin Kilcup, javelin, 54.03m (17th)
Katie Emerson, 400m hurdles, 1:04.82 (18th)
Liz Ayers, javelin, 35.13m (21st)
Morgan Reddington, long jump, 5.04m (28th)
