Continuing a banner year for Linfield athletics, five athletes and coaches on the Wildcat track and field program received regional honors for the 2010 indoor season.
Senior Josh Lovell was named the West Region’s male field athlete of the year, while senior Marci Klimek and sophomore Catherine Street were named the West Region’s female track and field athletes of the year. Track and field head coach Garry Killgore and assistant coach Travis Olson were named the West Region’s head and assistant coach of the year, respectively.
After capturing the NCAA Division III championship in the 2009 decathlon, Lovell continued to dominate his competitors. He earned a slew of awards this season in addition to his regional accolades, including a second-place finish in the pentathlon at the NCAA III Indoor Championships on March 12. Lovell also won both the high jump and javelin events at the Frank Haskins Double Dual meet Feb. 28 and broke an 18-year-old school record in the decathlon at the Linfield Multi-Events Invitational on March 23, with a score of 7,125.
Lovell is the favorite to protect his decathlon crown at the outdoor championships in May. But his twin brother, senior Jeremy Lovell, who finished second behind him last season at the championships, will provide ample competition.
Klimek, the record-holder in both the 5,000- and 10,000-meter races, has found success this season, as well. At the Lewis & Clark Spring Break Open on March 21, she won both the 800 and 1,500 races with season-best times of 2:23.18 and 4:51.37, respectively. Klimek also achieved an NCAA-qualifying time in the 5,000 at the Washington invitational earlier in the season.
Street has racked up many honors herself, despite her lack of experience. This season she broke a 12-year-old pole vault record at the Erik Anderson Memorial Icebreaker at Maxwell Field with a height of 11 feet, 11 ¼ inches, en route to winning the event. Street also shared second place in pole vault at the prestigious Oregon Preview meet in Eugene, Ore., on March 21, and placed fifth at the NCAA III Indoor Championships this year in the same event.
Even before these athletes earned their track and field honors, dozens of Linfield programs recorded exceptional years, including two men and two women being named to the Northwest Conference basketball all-star teams, two football All-Americans, 14 NWC football all-stars and a softball program that is poised to make a run at another national title.
Chris Forrer
Freelancer Chris Forrer can be reached at [email protected]