Originally published June 8, 2011 at 9:51 PM | Page modified June 8, 2011 at 10:16 PM

NW Briefs

Scott Roth wins NCAA pole vault title for UW

The UW senior from Granite Bay, Calif., took his first outdoor championship after two NCAA indoor titles.

By The Associated Press and sports-information Reports

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DES MOINES, Iowa — Washington's Scott Roth won his third national pole-vault title, clearing 17 feet, 8 ½ inches Wednesday night at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships.

It's the first outdoor title for the senior from Granite Bay, Calif., who has won two NCAA indoor championships. He was the outdoor runner-up in 2009 and tied for third last year.

"I came into this meet thinking I'm going to win this thing," said Roth.

He was the last of 24 competitors, passing at every height until 17-6 ½, which he cleared on his first try. Only two others cleared that mark. Despite erratic wind, Roth also topped 17-8 ½ on his first try.

He became UW's first NCAA champ since 2006, when Ryan Brown won a men's 800-meter title and Amy Lia won a women's 1,500 crown.

Including his indoor pole-vault victory, Roth is the first Husky since legendary thrower Scott Neilson in 1979 to win two NCAA titles in the same year.

In the men's javelin finals Wednesday, the Huskies' Kyle Nielsen finished eighth at 234-5.

Washington State's Jeshua Anderson launched his quest for a third men's 400 hurdles title in four years, qualifying for the finals with the top time of 49.18 seconds.

"I'm just going to go all out. It's my last collegiate season, my last collegiate race," Anderson said of Friday's finals.

Anderson is a former football wide receiver for the Cougars who quit the sport to focus on track. The senior from Woodland Hills, Calif., won NCAA titles in 2008 and 2009 and was runner-up last year. He came into the meet with the nation's fastest time this season and fifth fastest in the world, 48.13.

Football

Austin Apodaca, a 6-foot-3 quarterback from Longmont, Colo., who threw for 2,367 yards, 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions as a junior, has committed to Washington State for 2012, according to Cougfan.com.