FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Competing in her first collegiate heptathlon, Linfield freshman Isabella Grutsch scored 3,674 points to secure eighth place at the Pacific Multi-Events, which wrapped up Tuesday at Pacific University's Hanson Stadium.
 
Grutsch's 3,674 points are the most ever recorded by a first-year Wildcat in the heptathlon and currently rank 17th on Linfield's all-time list.
 
"Bella was outstanding in her first heptathlon and has a bright future, for sure," said Wildcats coach Travis Olson. "She was coming off pneumonia so I didn't want her to run the 800 hard. Otherwise, her score would have been much higher. I expect she will score very well at our conference championships."
 
Grutsch's best showings in the seven-event women's competition included third-place efforts in the long jump (17 feet, 3½ inches) and 100-meter hurdles (15.34 seconds), and a sixth-place performance in the javelin (86-4¼). A total of 15 women were entered in the competition, the majority affiliated with Division II state universities or NAIA programs from Oregon, Washington and Idaho.
 
Lizzy Grandle of Eastern Oregon University won the women's heptathlon with a score of 4,587.
 
Representing Linfield in the men's decathlon was junior Durham Huson, who withdrew from competition on the second day with two events remaining. He finished with an incomplete point total and thus did not place in the overall standings.

Lucas Hoff of Lane Community College was the men's decathlon champion, scoring a two-day total of 6,165 points to top a field of 14 competitors.
 
Prior to retiring, Huson's best placements came in the 110 hurdles, where he was fifth (16.09); in the 100 dash, where he placed sixth (11.46); and in the discus, where he also placed sixth (86-4¼).
 
AHEAD
Grutsch and Huson are expected to compete in the Northwest Conference heptathlon and decathlon championship events, respectively. Those are slated to be contested April 13-14 at Stoffer Family Stadium on the campus of George Fox University starting at 10 a.m. both days.