May 21, 2000
Eugene, Or - The talented Stanford trio of Gabe Jennings, Jonathon Riley and Michael Stember raced past the field to lead Stanford to a 1-2-3 sweep in the 1,500 meters to help propel the Cardinal men's team on the second day (Sunday) of the 2000 Pacific-10 Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus.
Jennings, who is the nation's top-ranked 1,500 meter runner, led the Cardinal charge from start-to-finish in a time of 3:42.86 on a warm, slightly muggy day in Eugene. Riley kept pace on Jennings' heels the entire way, while Stember finished strong and passed Washington's John Russell down the backstretch. Riley was timed in 3:44.2, while Stember checked in at 3:45.20.
"The game plan worked to a tee," said Jennings, who became Stanford's first 1,500 meter conference champion since Bill Crowley captured the title in 1990. In fact, Jennings became only the second Stanford runner to win the conference 1,500 meter crown since the event began on the conference level in 1976. "Coach (Vin) Lananna told us to run to our po ten tial, no fooling around. That was the plan, to finish 1-2-3. What a great day for Stanford track & field."
At the time, the Cardinal 1,500 meter sweep gave Stanford the team lead after eleven events with 76 points, compared to USC with 69.
But USC's men's team withstood the challenge of a strong Stanford team and won the conference title for a second straight season with 144 points. The Cardinal finished second with a school record 120 1/2 points. The second place finish also is the highest men's team finish by Stanford since the 1963 conference meet when the Cardinal placed second with 64 points at Ber ke ley.
"I am so proud of the accomplishments of this team," said Vin Lananna, Stanford's Director of Track & Field. "Both teams fought hard for every point in every race and field event. From the Stanford cheering section, to the parents, to the Stanford fans, it was an exciting conference meet for Stanford. This team has championship athletes, but also championship people."
The Cardinal women scored 114 points to finish in third place behind UCLA (167 1/2 points) and USC (161 points).
It was the fourth straight year that Stanford's women's team scored 100 or more points.
Ten-time All-American Brad Hauser closed out the regular season of his illustrious Stanford career with a tough victory in the 5,000 meters. Hauser withstood the strong challenge of Oregon's Steve Fein to win in a time of 13:56.40.
"Brad Hauser is a world championship caliber track and cross country runner, and he again proved it today," said Fein. "I'm not ashamed to lose to him."
Hauser and Fein waged a strong battle throughout the competition. In fact, Fein briefly took the lead in the backstretch, but Hauser made one final push and eased to victory.
"The plan was to go out with five laps to go, and Jason Balkman helped me push it with two laps remaining," said Hauser. Fein is a tough runner."
Men's Team Results (second day - Pac-10 Track & Field Championships, Hayward Field, University of Oregon)1. USC154
2. Stanford122 1/2
3. Arizona State101
4. Washington83
4. UCLA83
6. Arizona75
7. Oregon71
8. California68
9. Washington State59 1/2
Women's Team Results (second day - Pac-10 Track & Field Championships, Hayward Field, University of Oregon)1. UCLA167 1/2
2. USC161
3. Stanford114
4. Washington State86
5. Arizona State75
6. Arizona65
7. Washington58
8. California56
9. Oregon35 1/2
Men's Individual Results (second day - Pac-10 Track & Field Championships, Hayward Field, University of Oregon)1. Brad Hauser - 5,000 meters (13:56.40)
1. Gabe Jennings - 1,500 meters (3:42.86)
2. Jonathon Riley - 1,500 meters (3:44.42)
3. Jason Balkman - 5000 meters (14:05.86)
3. Todd Beyerlein - high jump (6-11, 2.11m)
3. Michael Stember - 1,500 meters (3:45.20)
4. Michael Harte - 110 meter hurdles (14.19 - season-best)
4. Omer Inan - discus (179-5, 54.70m)
4. Michael Stember - 800 meters (1:51.25)
5. Brent Hauser - 5,000 meters (14:11.38)
6. Jonathon Riley - 5,000 meters (14:16.91)
7. Ryan Carroll - 800 meters (1:52.74)
7. Evan Kelty - 200 meters (21.54)
7. 400 meter relay team (Warrick McDowell, Leroy Sims, Evan Kelty, Michael Harte, 41.89)
7. 1,600 meter relay team (Evan Kelty, Ryan Carroll, Leroy Sims, Mark Hassell, 3:15.49)
8. Andrew Powell - 5,000 meters (14:18.75)
8. Jonathan Stevens - 800 meters (1:56.97)
9. Gabe Jennings - 5,000 meters (14:27.06)
9. Warrick McDowell - triple jump (47-5 3/4, 14.147m)
13. Nick Welihozkiy - discus (161-3, 49.16m)
Women's Individual Results (second day - Pac-10 Track & Field Championships, Hayward Field, Univ, of Or e gon)2. Lauren Fleshman - 1,500 meters (4:21.28)
2. Summer Pierson - discus (177-3, 54.02m)
2. Erin Sullivan - 5,000 meters (16:29.65)
3. Sally Glynn - 5,000 meters (16:34.14)
3. Jayna Smith - 400 meters (54.04)
4. Lindsay Hyatt - 800 meters (2:07.86)
5. Cheryl Burdick - high jump (5-6, 1.68m)
5. Kathleen Donoghue - pole vault (12-7 1/4, 3.84m)
5. Melissa Feinstein - pole vault (12-7 1/4, 3.84m)
5. Elena Villarreal - 5,000 meters (16:52.85)
6. Wilsa Charles - 100 meters (11.70)
6. Wilsa Charles - 200 meters (23.98)
6. Malindi Elmore - 800 meters (2:09.85)
6. Colleen Flaherty - 1,500 meters (4:31.22)
7. Kim Stone - high jump (5-6, 1.68m)
7. 1,600 meters (3:47.87)
9. Laura Turner - 5,000 meters (17:09.75)
10. Julie Tinker - triple jump (39-7 1/4, 12.07m
11. Caroline Annis - 5,000 meters (17:13.13)
14. Mary Huang - 5,000 meters (17:29.31)
Cardinal Chatter
Lauren Fleshman's time of 4:21.28 in the 1,500 meters is ninth-best in school history, and an NCAA provisional qual i fy ing time ... Stanford's 1-2-3 sweep in the men's 1,500 meters is the second straight season that the Cardinal has performed such an heroic effort in a distance event at the conference meet ... Last year at the Pac-10's at Arizona State, Nathan Nutter, Jason Balkman, and Thomas Murley swept the 10,000 meters.