NEWBERG, Ore. – Linfield's Kate Shear (Jr., Knappa, Ore.) made the most of her final opportunity to qualify for the 2011 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championship, winning the javelin throw with a provisional qualifying mark at the George Fox University Last Chance meet Friday afternoon at Colcord Memorial Field.

Shear threw the javelin a career-best 141-7, improving her previous top effort by exactly four feet. Though the field of competitors will not be announced until Sunday, she has likely qualified to compete at the national meet as she now boasts the sixth-best mark in the nation in her event.

Placing just behind Shear in the javelin was Kristen Allison, who threw 121-9 in a second-place effort.

Anna LaBeaume (Jr., Sequim, Wash.) won the shot put by default as she was the only competitor, but still posted an impressive throw of 42-1 ½. Like Shear, she is in good position to qualify for nationals, as her season-best throw of 44-9 ½ ranks 14th among all D-III competitors.

In other field action, Chelsea Machida and Misty Corwin placed third in their respective events. Machida was third in the high jump, clearing the bar at 5-1 ¾, and Corwin took third in the pole vault after reaching a height of 10-8.

No team scores were compiled at the meet, which featured athletes from several Northwest Conference schools as well as unattached competitors.

NEXT: The NCAA Division III National Championships, hosted by Ohio Wesleyan University, will be held May 26-28 in Delaware, Ohio.