Saturday, May 28, 2005 - McAmis 7th in shot put

Molly McAmis' heave of 44-02 was good enough to finish seventh overall at the National Outdoor Track and Field Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, this afternoon. The effort also earned two points for the Sunbirds in the team competition.

Teammate Elizabeth Watson finished 10th with a mark of 43-05. Both McAmis and Watson scored season best marks with their efforts today.

FPU, with 11 points, finished in 27th place in the women's team competition.

Friday, May 27, 2005 - MacKenzie 17th 800 semi, Friesen 11th in triple

After a school 800 meter record (2:17.19) yesterday at the National Outdoor Track and Field Championship in Louisville, Kentucky., freshman Vanessa MacKenzie was poised for another FPU record and a spot in tomorrow's championship. But that all came to a crashing halt 300 meters into the race..

"She was right where she was supposed to be," said FPU assistant coach Mike Miles. "But she fell to one knee avoiding a crash as two runners ahead of her tangled and fell. You don't have a lot of time to recover after something like that.

MacKenzie's time of 2:28.24 was 17th overall.

Natalie Friesen's had the best mark in her flight of the triple jump, but the 37-09.25 effort was not good enough to make the final nine. Friesen finished 11th overall.

Molly McAmis and Elizabeth Watson will compete in the shot put tomorrow.

Thursday, May 26, 2005 - Friesen finishes ninth in long jump, Dowlat wraps up Day 1

Freshman Natalie Friesen finished ninth in the long jump at the National Outdoor Track and Field Championship this afternoon. Friesen's mark of 18-03.75 was just three-quarters of an inch short of a three-way of the sixth, seventh and eighth place finishers.

Another freshman, Melissa Dowlat, finished a disappointing 23rd in the 10,000 meters. Her time of 41:08.38 was well off her season-best 38:46.90 run April 22 at the Golden State Athletic Conference Championship in Azusa.

Friesen will compete in the triple jump tomorrow.

After four events the Sunbirds women were in eighth place in the team standings with nine points.

Thursday, May 26, 2005 - MacKenzie advances

Freshman Vanessa MacKenzie ran a school record 2:17.19 to advance from her heat in the 800 meters at the National Outdoor Track and Field Championships this afternoon. The top four finishers in each of three heats advanced as did the six next fastest times.

MacKenzie finished eighth in her heat, but claimed one of the six next-fasted slots to move into tomorrow's 3:15 p.m. semifinals. Mackenzie beat her own FPU record of 2:17.82 set April 22 at the Golden State Athletic Conference Championship in Azusa.

Thursday, May 26, 2005 - Cruz-ing to All-America Honors

Junior hammer throwers Molly McAmis and Zenaida Cruz got the FPU Sunbirds off to a great start at the NAIA National Outdoor Track and Field Championships this morning.

McAmis finished third with a toss of 163-09 while Cruz was sixth with a mark of 160-10. Both earn All-America status with their efforts this morning.

FPU freshmen Vanessa MacKenzie (800m), Melissa Dowlat (10,000m) and Natalie Friesen (long jump) will compete later today.

McAmis will have tomorrow off then, along with teammate Elizabeth Watson, will enter the shot put Saturday morning.