EUGENE, ORE. -- Kimber Mattox (So., Bend, OR/Bend HS/Cornell Univ.) of Willamette University won the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Oregon Relays on Friday, April 30, with a time of 10:41.78. She won the event by 4.02 seconds, while lowering her NCAA provisional qualifying time by nearly seven seconds.
Earlier this season, Mattox recorded a provisional qualifying time of 10:48.71 at the Charles Bowles Spring Break Classic on March 19. Her new time is 6.93 seconds faster and ranks her fifth in NCAA Division III in 2010 pending other results this weekend.
In Friday's race, Mattox was followed by Rachel York of Wichita State University, who finished second in 10:45.80. Third place went to Nicole Peters of Colorado State University, who crossed the finish line in 10:46.27.
Willamette's Ben Donovan (So., Minneapolis, MN/South HS) lowered his NCAA provisional qualifying time in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Oregon Relays. Donovan completed the race in 9:21.80, as he lowered his previous top time of 9:24.70 by 2.90 seconds. He took 15th place in a field of 21 that included eight runners who finished under 9:15.00.
Nicholas Rebol (Jr., Cottonwood, CA/Red Bluff Union HS) from Willamette also ran in the steeplechase and finished 17th with a time of 9:27.84.
Former Montana State University runner Lyle Weese won the men's steeplechase in 8:48.81. Marius Sava from Wichita State was second at 8:57.11 and Spenser Lynass of Colorado State took third in 8:57.28.
In the men's 5,000-meter run, Stefan Redfield (Jr., Sisters, OR/Sisters HS) of WU registered an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 14:42.26. He lowered his personal record by 7.5 seconds from 14:49.76, set earlier this year at the Willamette Invitational on April 2. Redfield finished the race more than five seconds under the provisional standard of 14:48.00.
Nick Atwood, competing unattached, won the men's 5,000 with a time of 14:03.98. Redfield placed 15th, while Willamette teammate Leo Castillo (So., Parkdale, OR/Hood River Valley) took 17th in 14:57.64.
Several WU runners will compete at the Oregon Relays on Saturday, while a group of Bearcat throwers will participate in the Pacific Twilight at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore.
Kimber Mattox took first place in the women's steeplechase by just over four seconds at the Oregon Relays.
Stefan Redfield earned an NCAA provisional qualifying time in the steeplechase.
