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February 28, 2006 Seattle, WA --- Saint Martin’s will send Andy Prentice to the National Championships after an outstanding performance at the Last Chance Indoor Track and Field Meet at the Dempsey Center on the University of Washington campus. “It was a great day for the Saints. This weekend was the last opportunity for an athlete to qualify for nationals, and two did!” said Saints coach Brad Hooper. Prentice (Sr., Nine Mile Falls, WA) won the mile, earning his 23rd career win at the collegiate level, with a blazing 4:11.01 time, way under the qualifying time of 4:15.50. “He smoked the field in a time of 60 seconds in the first 400m, and a 2:02 at the 800m mark,” said Hooper. Prentice, one of Saint Martin’s most decorated student-athletes, was followed by the Saints’ second national qualifier, John Riak (Fr., Lacey, WA). Riak came across the finish line in a time of 4:15.03 to place second. Riak is qualified for nationals by time in the mile but is seeded 29th and likely won't make the cut. “John ran a superb race. He is now no. 3 All-Time at SMU behind Nate Carlson and Andy Prentice (no. 1 and no. 2, respectively),” said Hooper. “Saint Martin's now has the no. 1, no. 2, and no. 5 best times in the mile in GNAC history.” Coach Hooper was quick to recognize Julie Sullivan, his assistance coach of three years, when discussing how the cross country and track and field programs have produced some of the best distance runners in SMU and GNAC history. “Coach Sullivan deserves a great deal of credit; she has done a remarkable job in helping our distance runners. She is an absolute jewel of a coach,” said Hooper. Saint Martin’s Bryan Gerry (Fr., Lacey, WA) got his first collegiate win in the 400m (53.47), followed closely in second by Josh Timmer (So., Tacoma, WA) in a personal best time of 53.57. Caleb Timmer (So., Tacoma, WA) recorded a 2-second personal best in the 800m (1:55.80). “Caleb had another great race to follow his All-Conference performance in the 800m last weekend,” said Hooper. On the women’s side, Chelsi Claussen (So., Shelton, WA) broke her own school record in the 400m, finishing with a time of 59.04 to place second. She also finished second in the 200m (27.16). The Saints’ Jessica Pendon (Fr., Spanaway, WA) was second in the 800m (2:28.02). Prentice will compete at the NCAA Division II National Indoor Track and Field Championships on Friday, March 10 (1 p.m. EST), at Boston, Mass.
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