Results   I   Meet Information

LAWRENCE, Kans. --- Three members of the Portland Pilots men's and women's track & field team booked tickets to the NCAA National Championship on Friday morning. Reid Buchanan, Lauren LaRocco, and Kaylie Van Loo each took top ten finishes in their respective events at Rock Chalk Park during the NCAA West Regional.

Van Loo's throw of 167'8 in the javelin held off nine of the last 16 throwers placing her in seventh overall. She will be one of the 24 student-athletes competing for a national championship in Eugene.

Portland's distance running strength continued in the men's and women's 10,000m.

The Pilots had a pair of harriers in the women's 10,000m race that began day two of competition on Friday. Anna Farello finished a great season with a time of 35:57.73 and teammate LaRocco placed sixth with a time of 34:25.40. By finishing in the top twelve LaRocco qualified for nationals.

"Lauren ran with a lot of toughness and confidence," said women's track & field head coach Ian Solof. "She is having an amazing season and I am really proud of her hard work and commitment. It's exciting to think she is only a sophomore."

Taking the track right after the women, four members of the men's team competed in the men's 10,000m race. Reid Buchanan was the top Pilot to finish taking seventh with a time of 29:53.54 and will continue his senior campaign in two weeks at nationals.

 "Fantastic race by Reid," stated men's track & field head coach Rob Conner. "He was patient and confident, anticipating the pace changes and covered all the right moves. Pretty impressive given that it was only his second every 10,000m on a track."

Timo Goehler, Danny Martinez, and Alex Dillard were the other runners in purple in the 10,000m. They finished the race with times of 30:11.45, 30:45.25, and 30:58.3, respectively, with Goehler just out of qualifying in 17^th.

"Timo ran a very nice race and was close," continued Conner. "His best regional ever."

The NCAA West Regional continues on Saturday with nine Pilots taking to the track in the men's 1,500m and the men's and women's 5,000m.