Last season at regionals was the year of the underdog for the Huskies, as distance runner Michelle Turner and pole-vaulter Jared O’Connor won their events in surprise fashion to qualify for nationals.

The chances of that happening for the Dawgs this season could be greater as they send their largest team in recent years to Eugene, Ore., to compete in the NCAA West Regional Championships.

The Huskies will be counting on the talents of their women’s distance team as well as their pole vaulters to make up a large chunk of national qualifiers.

The women’s distance crew, continuing their success from the cross-country season, seeks to qualify their athletes in a myriad of events at multiple distances.

Among them is Mel Lawrence in the steeplechase, an event she’s dominated in her only two college runs in the event.

Lawrence, the former national high-school champion in the event, won the steeplechase in the Pac-10 championships by more than 20 seconds over the runner-up.

That result was probably the deciding factor for her to concentrate on the steeplechase, as she and her coaches were considering whether she would compete in the 5,000 meters, as well.

Katie Follett, the Pac-10 champ in the women’s 1,500-meter run, also had to choose between events.

Despite winning the 1,500, Follett is only ranked 11th in the west regionals, while she’s ranked seventh for the 5,000, which she’ll run in regionals.

“Looking at the national lists … we thought the 5k was the best option for Katie,” head coach Greg Metcalf said.

Anita Campbell, winner of the 10,000-meters in the Pac-10, may also run in the 5k this weekend despite a high chance that she’ll compete in the 10k at the national meet.

“Anita loves to race. I think it will be great to go run hard at 5k this weekend,” Metcalf said.

Campbell is currently ranked fifth in the 5,000 meters in the nation’s rankings.

In the pole vault, there’s a realistic chance for the Huskies to qualify all three of their men to the national meet.

“It’s not out of the question,” said Husky jumps and vaults coach Pat Licari of a possible UW sweep. “It would have to be an amazing day because even in our region, BYU’s got a couple of guys that are really good. The guys in our conference are good.”

Should the three vaulters, O’Connor, Scott Roth and Ryan Vu, qualify for nationals, it would add to the UW pole-vaulting legacy that’s produced Olympian Brad Walker.

“It’s definitely a statement coming from a school where Brad Walker went to school, having three guys jumping 17-6, all having a chance to be All-Americans this year,” O’Connor said.

Decorated senior All-Americans Jordan Boase and Austin Abbott will also be competing for Washington in the 400 meters and the 1,500 meters, respectively.

Abbott may also run the 800 meters, but Boase is out for the 200 meters after tweaking a hamstring at the Pac-10s.

Athletes who qualify in the top five at the regional meets automatically qualify for nationals.

The NCAA West Regional Championships begin Friday and end Saturday.

Reach reporter Honsen Lin at sports@dailyuw.com.