Wildcats Compete at NWC Championships
April 24 & 25, 2015

Newberg, ORE - The Wildcat distance crew went head to head with the best at the Northwest Conference Championships over the weekend and had some strong showings along the way. Senior Brooke Niemann equalled her PR in the steeple chase, placing 7th for the 'Cats.

Brooke Niemann waits for the gun at the start of the steeple chase.

Freshman Emma Knudson placed 4th in the 10000 meters in only her second attempt at the distance. "That was really fun. I am really excited," stated Knudson. "Greg kept telling me that the girl in 5th was closing on me. I could see the big screen and I kept thinking 'She isn't going to catch me.'" In the end, Knudson was right, beating the 5th place competitor but a solid seven seconds.

Freshman Kaelia Neal had another strong showing for the the Wildcats, placing 4th in the 1500 meters. Along the way, Neal PR'd by 5 seconds and climbed into 8th place on the Linfield all-time list with a clocking of 4:43.69. On the men's side in the 1500 meters, Chad Linnerooth also clawed his way into scoring position with a seventh place finish.

"The meet had it's definitely highlights for the team," stated assistant coach Greg Mitchell. "We still have some work to do, however. We definitely have the tools to mix it up with the best, we just need to be more consistent about bringing our 'A-Game' when it matters most. I think this meet will help light a fire under the team as we begin preparing for cross country."

The men's 10000 meters gets underway at the NWC Championships.

Q & A with the ‘Cats – Get to Know Kaelia Neal

Year in School: Freshman 

Home Town: Salem, Oregon

Major/Minor: Mass Communications

Why did you come to Linfield?

I came to Linfield because I knew I would get a great education and I would be competitive athletically.

What is your fondest memory thus far from your time at Linfield?

I cannot think of one memory in particular that is my favorite but if I could, I know it would be with my cross country/distance team. We have a lot of fun.

What is it that you enjoy most about cross country?

I love running in general so cross country is easy to love. I enjoy the types of workouts we do and the fact that we have a large team so there is always someone to run with. I like this sport because you compete individually but also as a team. There are many goals you can set and achieve in running.

Who is your athletic hero/role-model?

I do not have a favorite right now but I did like Galen Rupp a lot because he went to a high school relatively close to mine and so I feel I can relate to him. I like his story and the idea of him being “a modern Prefontaine” is also very inspiring. I also love Mary Cain because she’s a beast. Simple as that.

Do you crinkle your race bib number or leave it smooth?

I leave it smooth. I like to be as “clean-cut” as I possibly can before starting a race. It gets destroyed at the end of race anyway so it doesn’t really matter but leaving it smooth is part of my routine.

What’s your most embarrassing athletic moment?

Most embarrassing moments would have to be any time my spandex ride up during races. I have a love/hate relationship with spandex.

What is your favorite movie?

I love movies so my answer always changes. Right now my favorite is Primal Fear.

What song is most played on your iPod?

PCH by Jaden and Willow Smith

What is your homepage on your computer?

I don’t have one - I just use Firefox.

What words of wisdom would you offer to a college-bound high school senior?

A lot of talented athletes just quit sports after high school if they do not get athletic scholarships. It may be a little more work academically but if you can manage, do not give up on sports and continue them at a school like Linfield where you can get a great education and compete in intercollegiate sports. If not, go to a school where you can challenge and push yourself to limits you never thought you could. School will be hard. Time management, setting priorities, being involved, homesickness… there are many issues to overcome, but one day it will all be worth it.

Kaelia Neal pushing the pace up front in an early season xc race.

Season Winds Down at L&C Invite
April 18, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. - Typical unpredictable Oregon spring weather brought warm temperatures as well as some hot performances on the Lewis and Clark track. Numerous season's bests and personal records were reached and a few more Wildcat athletes snagged the coveted qualifying standard and punched their ticket to the NWC Championships.

The Linfield distance crew will be taking a sizable van load to the Conference meet next week at George Fox University. Wildcat qualifiers for 2015 are:

Seniors - Calli Dowdy, Brooke Niemann, Chad Linnerooth, Clavin Howell
Juniors - Alex Mangan
Sophomores - Maddy Noe, Chris Poole, Chris Roth, Adrian Clifford
Freshmen: Kaelia Neal, Emma Knudson, Jaime Rodden, Jeff Lee

"We have a great crew representing the 'Cat's this year," stated assistant coach Greg Mitchell. "I'm proud of all of them and I'm really excited to see what kind of noise they will make at the Championships. As long as they believe in themselves and execute a solid race plan, they'll rack up some solid points."

Emma Knudson will be racing the 10k and 5k at the NWC Championships.

Wildcat mid-distance runners celebrate after a strong showing in the 800m races.

Vera Heidmann and Katie Higinbotham press the pace in the 1500m.

The Purple Pain Train chases the NWC standard in the 5k at the L&C Invite.

Chris Roth will be jumping the barriers next week in the NWC steeple chase.

Members of the Wildcat distance crew celebrate a successful meet and season together.

Q&A with the 'Cats - Get to Know Tyler Griffin

Year in School: Sophomore

Home Town: West Linn, OR

Major/Minor: Biology and Mathematics double major

Why did you come to Linfield?

I chose Linfield because they offered me more financial aid than any other school. In addition, I liked the idea of running at the D3 level and Coach Greg really sold me on the program.

What is your fondest memory thus far from your time at Linfield?

My fondest memory thus far was travelling up to Seattle this past Fall to compete at the Sundodger Invitational. The meet was super competitive and the trip with my teammates was unforgettable.

What is it that you enjoy most about cross country?

My favorite part about XC is consistently grinding through the toughest workouts and then seeing the results on race-day.

Who is your athletic hero/role-model?

It’s got to be Galen Rupp.

Do you crinkle your race bib number or leave it smooth?

I’m definitely a member of crumple crew.

What’s your most embarrassing athletic moment?

Back in the old days when I played soccer, the only goal I ever scored was an own goal…

What is your favorite movie?

The Dark Knight

What is the most played song on your iPod?

Cold as Ice by Foreigner

What is your homepage on your computer?

My Linfield email

What words of wisdom would you offer to a college-bound high school senior?

I would simply say to choose a school that offers a good balance. The right school needs to make sense financially and needs to feel like home. I’m thankful that Linfield can provide me with a perfect balance between academics, athletics, and great group of friends and teammates.

Tyler Griffin pushes to the finish during a cross country race this fall.

Successful Season Nears Completion

The Linfield 2015 track and field season is a mere two weeks out from the NWC Championships. It's been a successful campaign for the Wildcat distance crew with 12 athletes having already punched their tickets to the championships. "We've had some ups and downs this season," stated assistant coach Greg Mitchell. "But overall, it's been a really good showing by the team. Lots of personal records and conference qualifiers. Plus, we've got a few more athletes I expect to snag their qualifying marks this weekend at Lewis and Clark. I expect a strong showing from this crew at Conference."

The women's distance crew.

Chad Linnerooth battles for the lead in the 800m at the GFU Meet.

Katie Higinbotham, Vera Heidmann and Rebeca DeLeon tackle a 1500m.

Calvin Howell, Chris Poole, Adrian Clifford and Alex Mangan roll along in the 5k at Pacific.

Chris Poole and Tyler Griffin crank through a mid-season 1500m.

Brooke Niemann on her way to winning the steeple chase at Pacific.

Some team bonding time.

Q&A with the’Cats – Get to know Calli Dowdy

Year in School: Senior
Home Town: Eugene, OR
Major: Marketing

Why did you come to Linfield?
I came to Linfield for multiple reasons. First off, they offered marketing, which was obviously a huge aspect. I also really saw (and still see) a value in a liberal arts education. But what really sealed the deal is my visit here. Once I saw the campus and met the team it seemed like a no brainer that Linfield was where I wanted to spend my next 4 years.

What is your fondest memory thus far from your time at Linfield?
My fondest memory would have to be watching my boyfriend Zach and the rest of the baseball team win the National Championship. It was unbelievably exciting. When I picked him up from the bus when they got home, the excitement and joy was radiating off of them. Zach got off the bus and walked and picked me up and swung me in circles (that amount of PDA is really unusual for us), it was like being on cloud nine. Watching them do that honestly gave me so much motivation to push myself harder, because I wanted a taste of the feeling for myself. Another really great memory was being team captain. It has been pretty special to have the chance to lead this team through ups and downs. It definitely has taught me so much about being a leader, myself, people and relationships throughout a team structure. I feel honored to lead these girls through the season.

What is it that you enjoy most about cross country?
I love the team! I have loved the relationships I built here. Having a team that means so much to me always pushes me harder in workouts and races. It makes the grinding training fun and entertaining. I couldn't imagine going through cross country with out some of the girls that were there along the way.

Who is your athletic hero/role-model?
My athletic role model would have to be Mia Hamm. She really was all about the love of sport. She pushed herself to limits no one thought was possible. But she also really brought women's sports to peoples attention. One of my favorite quotes is from her, it’s: "My coach said I ran like a girl, I said if he could run a little faster he could too."

Do you crinkle your race bib number or leave it smooth?
I used to crinkle my bib for good luck. Now I let it be. I will only crinkle it a little but, so it isn't stiff when I am running.

What is your most embarrassing athletic moment?
My most embarrassing athletic moment was my junior year of high school. I was a junior link crew member, and we had to do all these activities with incoming freshman. No one in our group would kick a field goal, so I took one for the team and tried. I made it, but in the process I slipped and landed flat on my back, and got soaked because the turf was wet. I think the whole freshman class saw, and the football coach talked about it all the time… I bet he still does.

What is your favorite movie?
My favorite movie is Sex and the City. I own all the seasons, and the movies. I have watched the movie so many times I have lost count.

What is the most played song on your iPod?
The most played song overall would be Crystallized by Young the Giant. Recently though the song I have been listening to non-stop is One Last Night by Vaults.

What is your homepage on your computer?
My background on my computer is a picture of my grandparents circa 2000. The whole family was together crabbing at the Oregon coast, but the picture is the two of them hugging and smiling.

What words of wisdom would you offer to a college-bound high school senior?
Words of wisdom for college bound seniors would be follow YOUR heart. There are going to be a lot of outside opinions flying at you, so you need to make sure you are doing what you really want. That being said, do not be afraid to go outside what may feel comfortable. I knew nobody coming into Linfield, I was so scared, but I have never, and never will, regret that. You learn a lot about yourself in these four years, so embrace all the lessons you learn in the classroom, on the track, and on your own.

Wildcat senior Calli Dowdy leads on the track as well as off.