Panova, Nagle win at NCAAs.

Byline: The Register-Guard

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Oregon's Daria Panova and Courtney Nagle are both in the NCAA Sweet 16, and Panova is there twice.

Panova and Nagle teamed up to win their first-round match in doubles Tuesday in the NCAA Women's Tennis Championships, and Panova triumphed in her second-round match in singles.

The doubles matchup pulled off a major upset, beating seventh-seeded Kendall Cline and Aniela Mojzis of North Carolina 7-5, 6-2.

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

"They played awesome. That's a heckuva team they beat," Oregon coach Nils Schyllander said. "It's the right time to play a good match."

Nagle and Panova won the final five games of the first set and finished the match winning 11 of 13 overall. The Oregon duo, ranked No. 33 in the final season rankings, advance to play the 17th-ranked Florida team of Julia Scaringe and Alexis Gordon.

Panova earlier gained a measure of revenge by defeating Christina Fusano of California 7-5, 6-3 in singles. Fusano had defeated Panova earlier this season in straight sets at the ITA Regionals.

"It took her a while to figure the match out," Schyllander said. "She battled, and once she found a rhythm she was fine. I think it was one of those matches where she won on will power."

Panova gets another chance at revenge today when she plays USC's Jewel Peterson, the No. 10-ranked player. Peterson and Panova met in a dual meet this season, with Peterson winning in three sets.

Six athletes sign

with UO track team

Oregon added four high school distance runners, a jumper and a javelin thrower to its men's track and field program for next year.

The distance crew is led by Mike McGrath of Lincoln High School in Portland, and he is joined by in-state runners Alec Wall of Grant High in Portland and Patrick Werhane of Southridge High in Beaverton and Kyle Alcorn of Buchanan, Calif.

McGrath has the nation's best prep time in the 800 (1:48.56) and is third nationally in the mile (4.05.28).

The jumper is JC transfer Leonidas Watson of Florissant Valley Community College in St. Louis. He won the national JC triple jump titles both indoors and outdoors and has a personal best of 53 feet. He also was second nationally in the long jump, with a best of 25-8 1/4.

Joining the javelin throwers will be Kyle Merz of Satanta, Kansas, who had a best of 207-9 as a junior. He missed the spring season this year because of an arm injury.

Runyan will compete

in national 5K meet

ALBANY, N.Y. - Eugene's Marla Runyan will defend her national 5-kilometer championship on May 31 when she takes part in the 25th Freihofer's Run for Women.

Runyan, 34, is ranked No. 1 in the U.S. at 3,000 meters, 5,000 meters and in the marathon.

Harrel, Grimmer win

NWAACC baseball honors

Donny Harrel, who led Lane Community College to its fourth Southern Division title in seven years, was named coach of the year and pitcher Troy Grimmer was named the MVP in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges baseball awards.

Harrel improved his seven-year record at Lane to 222-90. Grimmer finished with a 7-1 record and a 1.12 earned run average, with 51 strikeouts in 64 1/3 innings.

The Titans had six other players named to the NWAACC all-star first team: infielders D.J. Kooken and Justin Coffman, outfielder Porter Smith, designated hitter James Compo, pitcher Garrett Stembridge and utility player Matt Skundrick.