NEWBERG, Ore. – Hoping for the opportunity to send more athletes to the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships, giving those who have already qualified one last dry run and allowing a graduating senior one final go as a collegian, the Wildcats went 2-for-3 at the George Fox Final Qualifier Twilight, held Friday night at Colcord Field.

Veteran pole vaulters Catherine Street and Misty Corwin – the only Linfield competitors to have earned spots at nationals – satisfied their competitive appetites with a 1-2 finish in their main event. Street cleared the bar at 13 feet, 5¾ inches (4.11 meters) while Corwin finished with a height of 12 feet, 6 inches (3.81m).

The two also teamed with sprinters Melany Crocker (Sr., Milwaukie, Ore.) and Halsie Peek (Soph., Corbett, Ore.) in an attempt to knock some serious time off their 4x100 relay. The four women fell short in their quest to qualify for the championship meet, however, completing the single lap in 48.95 seconds. The time was well off their season-best time (48.61), leaving them on the wrong side of the cutoff mark for qualifying relay teams.

Another Wildcat looking to crack the top 22 in one or more events was Anna LaBeaume (Jr., Sequim, Wash.). The sophomore took second in both the shot put (42-02.00/13.85) and the hammer (149-09/45.64) but likely will not be making a repeat appearance at the national championships as she ranks 30th in the shot put, 44th in the discus and 62nd in the hammer among all Division III competitors this year.

The sole member of the Wildcat distance crew represented at the meet, Shanna Peaden, was runner-up in the 1,500 (season-best 4:52.08). It marked the final collegiate meet for the senior, who graduates a week from Sunday.

In other individual action, Crocker finished in the 100-meter dash, crossing the tape in 12.81 seconds behind a competitor from Portland State (Division I). Courtney Alley (Jr., Eagle, Idaho) took third in both the shot put (35-00.25/10.67) and the hammer (106-05/32.45) as well as fifth in the discus (110-00/33.53).

Michael Madden (Jr., Buckley, Wash.) was fifth in the pole vault (12-11.00/3.94).

COMING UP: The NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships, hosted by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in Claremont, Calif. Is scheduled for May 24-26.