Locally

Three Spokane swimmers win races at national meet

Three Spokane masters swimmers won national titles at the United States Masters Swimming National Short Course Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

In a meet that drew more than 1,600 swimmers aged 18-90, Suzanne Simpson, 45, won five events in the women’s 45-49 age group, Suzanne Dills, 60, won two in women’s 60-64, and Larry Krauser, 51, won one in men’s 50-54.

Simpson was the most outstanding swimmer in her age group, and one of the most successful in the meet. She won the 200-yard freestyle (1 minute, 59.87 seconds), 500 free (5:22), 1,650 free (18:03.61), 100 butterfly (1:00.50) and 200 fly (2:14.99). She also placed third in the 50 fly.

Dills won the 500 free (6:32.46) and 100 fly (1:19.39) and had seconds in the 200 and 1,650 freestyles and 100 and 200 individual medleys. In the 200 IM, her time of 2:48.33 was less than the national record, but she was barely touched out at the finish.

Krauser won the 1,650 free (17:55.07), was third in the 200 and 1,000 frees, fifth in the 50 free and sixth in the 100 and 500 frees.

Bernard Kingsly, 46, and Murray Allen, 42, also competed in the meet.

Administration

Jason Herbers, director of marketing, promotions and ticket operations at Eastern Washington University from July 2001 through May 2005, has been named marketing and promotions director for the athletics department at Utah State University.

College scene

For the second straight year, Danielle Ayers-Stamper of Seattle Pacific University and LaCrosse-Washtucna High has been named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Female Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

Ayers-Stamper earned All-America honors in two events at the NCAA Division II National Championships, placing second in the heptathlon with a GNAC-record 5,606 points and seventh in the 100-meter hurdles.

“Four Washington State women’s rowers from the Spokane area earned Pacific-10 Conference All-Academic honors, part of the 24 Cougars so honored.

Carey Homan, a sophomore from Deer Park with a 3.90 grade-point average in accounting, and Suzanne Vogt, a junior from Lewis and Clark with a 3.61 GPA in movement studies, were named to the first team as WSU placed a conference-high 10 on the elite team.

Rebekah Eschenbacher, a sophomore from North Central with a 3.68 GPA in nursing, was on the second team, and sophomore Jacki Hedlund from Endicott was honorable mention.

“ Four athletes from area high schools are among the 20 from Washington State University named to the 2005 Pacific-10 Conference Men’s and Women’s Track and Field All-Academic teams.

Rachel Bertholf, a senior from Mt. Spokane, made the first team. She has a 3.74 GPA in marketing.

The others all earned honorable mention. They are: John Cassleman, a sophomore from Pullman; Billy Reamer, a sophomore from Shadle Park; and Drew Ulrick, a sophomore from Mead.

Cycling

The Starbucks Doubleshot Cycling Team from Seattle won the elite masters (30-and-older) men’s team title for a third straight year and the elite women’s championship for the first time at the 24-Hour Nationals in Spokane during May 28-29.