By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

McMINNVILLE, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's and women's track and field teams sent a small group of athletes to compete at the Linfield Twilight on Friday, May 5. A total of six Bearcats participated in the meet, which featured a mix of NCAA Division I, NCAA Division III, NAIA and club team participants.

Paul Winger (Sr., Bonney Lake, WA/Bonney Lake HS) of Willamette won the men's 400-meter dash. His winning time was 49.70 seconds. He won by a bit less than a second over Elton Cody from Warner Pacific College, who placed second in 50.60 seconds.

Willamette's Katie Mariman was fourth in the women's pole vault with a top successful attempt of 10' 0". She was just six inches out of a tie for second place with Tiffanie Nyssen of Warner Pacific and Kelly Yelverton of Lewis & Clark College. Misty Corwin from Linfield College won the event with a vault of 11' 11.75".

Two Bearcats placed in the top five of the men's hammer throw. Max Faulhaber (So., Eugene, OR/Sheldon HS) took second place at 172' 3", as he finished one inch behind the winner. Ryan Ransavage of Pacific Lutheran University claimed first place with a throw of 172' 4". Wyatt Briggs (Jr., Scio, OR/Scio HS) of WU finished fifth at 156' 6".

Bart Grabman (Sr., Anchorage, AK/Steller HS) of Willamette was sixth in the men's 800-meter run. His time was 1:59.35. Ben Beeler (Fr., San Francisco, CA/Archbishop Riordan HS) of WU took 11th place out of 20 competitors in the race.

A select group of Willamette track and field athletes will participate in the Oregon Twilight, hosted by the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 5. The meet will be held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., with the action getting underway at 4 p.m. (PDT).