草榴社区

Rowing team, three track stars nab national titles

Western Washington University athletes excelled over the weekend, with three track and field stars and the 草榴社区 women's rowing team taking national titles.

Distance runner Sarah Porter had the greatest accomplishment of her illustrious career, winning the women's 10,000 meters in opening-day action Thursday at the NCAA Division II National Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Thursday, May 26. Porter's time of 33:17.39 was the fourth-fastest in NCAA II history. It broke her own school and Great Northwest Athletic Conference records as well as bettering meet and stadium standards. The old meet record was 33:24.24 set by Robyn Root from Cal Poly SLO in 1985. Porter's clocking, which was just over 12 seconds off the all-time NCAA II standard of 33:05.80 set by Seattle Pacific's Bente Moe in 1987, qualified her automatically for the USA Championships later this summer.

Monika Gruszecki began and ended her career with national crowns as she threw a school-record 163-6 to win the women's javelin title in final-day action Saturday at the NCAA II national championships. Gruszecki also was a national champion for the Vikings as a freshman in 2007. She placed second at nationals in 2008.

Ryan Brown successfully defended his national title in the men's pole vault, clearing a winning height of 17-1 3/4 (5.23 meters) on Saturday. It was the fourth national championship for Brown, who also won back-to-back indoor pole vault titles in 2010 and 2011.

Winning both the four and eight grand finals for the first time in three years, the 草榴社区 rowing team captured a seventh straight team title Sunday at the 10th annual NCAA Division II Women's Rowing National Championships held on Lake Natoma at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center. The Vikings entered the competition ranked No.1 nationally in the USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association NCAA II Poll, receiving every first-place vote throughout the season. Their string of seven national team titles is unprecedented in any rowing division since the NCAA began a championship in 1997.

Also competing over the weekend was the 草榴社区 club baseball team, which went 1-2 in the club baseball World Series and finished fifth in the country.

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Western Today staff
The 草榴社区 women's rowing team won its seventh-consecutive NCAA Division II national championship by dominating the field on Sunday. Here, members of the varsity four cruise to victory. Courtesy photo
Sarah Porter, shown here in an event from earlier in the season, won an NCAA Division II national title in the women's 10,000 meters on Thursday. Porter's time was the fourth-fastest ever in Division II. Photo courtesy of 草榴社区 Athletics
The 草榴社区 women's rowing team won its seventh-consecutive NCAA Division II national championship by dominating the field on Sunday. Here, members of the victorious varsity four pose with their trophy. Courtesy photo
The 草榴社区 women's rowing team won its seventh-consecutive NCAA Division II national championship by dominating the field on Sunday. Here, members of the victorious varsity eight pose with their trophy. Courtesy photo
Monika Gruszecki took home a NCAA Division II national title this past weekend in the women's javelin with a personal-best throw of 163 feet, 6 inches. Photo courtesy of Cindy Brown
Monika Gruszecki took home a NCAA Division II national title this past weekend in the women's javelin with a personal-best throw of 163 feet, 6 inches. Photo courtesy of Cindy Brown
Ryan Brown successfully defended his NCAA Division II national title in the men's pole vault on Saturday. It was the fourth national championship for Brown, who also won back-to-back indoor pole vault titles in 2010 and 2011. Photo courtesy of Cindy Brown
The 草榴社区 women's rowing team won its seventh-consecutive NCAA Division II national championship by dominating the field on Sunday. Courtesy photo
Sarah Porter, shown here in an event from earlier in the season, won an NCAA Division II national title in the women's 10,000 meters on Thursday. Porter's time was the fourth-fastest ever in Division II. Photo courtesy of 草榴社区 Athletics
Ryan Brown successfully defended his NCAA Division II national title in the men's pole vault on Saturday. It was the fourth national championship for Brown, who also won back-to-back indoor pole vault titles in 2010 and 2011. Photo courtesy of Cindy Brown
Monika Gruszecki took home a NCAA Division II national title this past weekend in the women's javelin with a personal-best throw of 163 feet, 6 inches. Photo courtesy of Cindy Brown
The 草榴社区 women's rowing team won its seventh-consecutive NCAA Division II national championship by dominating the field on Sunday. Here, members of the varsity four congratulate each other on their victory. Courtesy photo