LA GRANDE -- Southern Oregon University's track and field team finished third in both the men's and women's divisions at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Track and Field Meet Saturday at Eastern Oregon University.

Western Oregon won both team titles. In men, Western Oregon finished with 243 points, followed by Oregon Tech with 116, while the Raiders had 106. The Western Oregon women totaled 225 points. Eastern Oregon was the runner-up with 173 and SOU finished with 135.

Southern Oregon sophomore Kristina Binkerd's first place finishes in the 100 and 400 hurdles earned her Cascade Conference women's track athlete of the year. Binkerd posted a 15.07 time in the 100 hurdles and completed the 400 hurdles in 1:04.41.

"It's a great performance, she deserves it," Southern Oregon track coach Dale Fisher said.

Raider freshman Tiwana Merrit sprinted to first place in the 200 meters with a time of 25.72, ths of a second off SOU's school record. She was second in the 100 (12.69).

SOU freshman Melody Manwaring, a 1997 South Medford High graduate, captured first in the high jump with a mark of 5-4. Manwaring also took fourth in the triple jump.

Southern Oregon received strong performances from freshman Janae Helgerson, who unleashed a 138-10 first-place throw in the javelin, and Nicole Irons, who finished first in the pole vault with a mark of 13-0.

The Southern Oregon men finished third with the help of throwers Jim Hagemann and Paul Steenkolk. Hagemann won the javelin with a mark of 200-2. Senior Paul Steenkolk dominated the shot put with a throw of 58-11, more than nine feet further than his competition.

SOU senior Landis Reed took first in the 110 hurdles with a time of 14.60 and finished third in the 400 hurdles (57.57) and high jump (6-4). Junior pole vaultor Josh Romer finished third by clearing 14-3.

Both men's 400 and 1,600 relay teams took second for the Raiders.

So far this year, Southern Oregon has qualified 10 men and women for the NAIA national meet compared to four last year.