Tilley wins four events, sets three meet records, to lead Viking men

Western easily takes both men's and women's team titles at UPS meet

March 6, 2010

Complete Results

TACOMA, Wash. - Sprinter Alex Tilley (So., Edmonds/Kamiak) won four events and set three meet records as Western Washington University captured the men's division by 126 points in its outdoor season opener Saturday at the University of Puget Sound Invitational Track and Field Meet at Baker Stadium.

The Vikings also won the women's division, finishing 24 points ahead of runner-up Seattle Pacific, as Ellie Siler (So., Spokane/Lewis & Clark) set meet records in winning both the 200 (25.25) and 400 meters. Her time of 56.46 in the 400 met the NCAA Division II national provisional qualifying standard.

Tilley took both the 100 (11.08), leading a 1-2-3 sweep, and 200 (22.38) in meet record times. He also anchored the victorious 4x100 and 4x400 (3:27.44) relay teams.

The 4x100 quartet's time of 42.0 also was a meet record, with Tilley being joined in the relay by Justin Thomsen (Fr., Bellingham/Sehome), Anthony Zackery (Jr., Spokane/Ferris) and Shane Gruger (Jr. Shoreline/Shorewood). Gruger was second in both the 100 and 200, and ran a leg of the 4x400.

In all, Western placed first in 21 events and set seven meet records.

Besides the meet record performances of Siler and Tilley, Joana Houplin (Jr., Olympia) won the women's 100 (12.85) in meet record time, and Keefe Brockman (So., West Richland/Hanford) took the men's triple jump with a meet-record mark of 44-1 1/4 (13.44).

Monika Gruszecki (Jr., Edmonds/Meadowdale), who was in her first competition since 2008 after studying abroad last year, posted a mark of 130-11 (39.91) in winning the women's javelin, just three inches short of provisional qualifying. She was the NCAA II national champion in 2007 and placed second nationally in 2008.

Western also had a 1-2-3 sweep in the men's shot put, Jacob Gilbert (Fr., Bellingham/Sehome) winning with a lead of 45-9 3/4.

Western finished with 279 points in the men's division, followed by the host Loggers 153, Seattle Pacific 110.5 and Lewis & Clark 109.5.

The Viking women totaled 237 points, Seattle Pacific 213, Lewis & Clark 126 and Puget Sound 97.