Senior Jessica Monson ran a career best at 1500 meters (4:24.25) and finished second in the College/Open Division Section of the 1500m Run held Friday at the Mount SAC (San Antonio College) Relays in Walnut, California.
 
Four sections and a total of 60 athletes competed College/OD portion of the meet and Monson closed up on the winner, Asia Diaz of Texas Tech, on the final straight, but couldn't quite catch the senior, who ran 4:23.88. Monson trailed the tightly packed field of 15 runners through the 800m and worked her way into the battle for the lead over the next 600m, covering her third 400m in 70.2 and her final 300m 48.8. Her time improved on her career best set on the same track last spring at the NCAA II National Meet when she placed second on a time of th 4:27.21. Monson's time was the second fastest ever in UWP history (Michelle Marter-Rohl, 4:21.09 is the school record from 1988) and is an Automatic Qualifying mark for the NCAA II National Meet.

Hope Christie was also a the field of 60 athletes in the same event. She finished seventh in the third section with a time of 4:39.80, a time equal to her best from 3 weeks ago at the Raleigh Relays. She placed 48th out of the field of 60 runners.
 
In Thursday evenings Mt. SAC Relays Distance Carnival, Heidi Ertl placed 21st out of 28 runners in the Collegiate/Open Division 10000m Run. Ertl improved on her best set in Raleigh 3 weeks ago by 30 seconds. Her time of 37:38.35 places her 10th on the all-time UWP 10000m Run List. The winner of the event was Sarah Porter of Western Washingon, 34:58.97.
 
The other UWP entry, Ben Orvold also earned a career best mark when he placed 43rd out of 55 runners in the Men's Collegiate/Open Division 10000m Run. His time of 31:21.08 chipped off 8 seconds from the best he set at Raleigh 3 weeks ago.
 
CHRISTIE AND ORVOLD FINISH OFF THE WEEKEND AT LONG BEACH STATE
 Christie and Orvold followed up their Mt SAC performances with strong finishes at Saturday's Long Beach State "Beach Invitational," which was held at Cerritos College in Norwalk, California. Christie ran her fastest open 800m time when she finished sixth in the fourth of 8 sections in the event with a time of 2:18.45. She placed 41st out of the 80 athletes in the event. Orvold returned in the 5000m to place seventh out of 19 runners with a time of 15:51.58.
 
Coach Mike De Witt commented on the performances of the UWP runners in California: "The setting and energy of the Mt. SAC Relays is one of the best there is in the country. Well over 150 colleges, mostly Division I and II schools, time standards that insure quality fields, and track weather. A great place to race. Each of the athletes did a great job of competing within the field of runners they were matched against. They did an exceptional job of working the race plans and running solid splits. Everyone was at their best ever and as a coach it was fun to watch as each made a step up in their careers."