TACOMA, Wash. – The Western Washington University men’s and women’s track & field teams returned to action at the PLU Open on Saturday, with both teams turning in first-place finishes.
The Viking men recorded six first-place finishes while racking up 236 team points, well ahead of second-place Central Washington (203 points).
The WWU women recorded 206.5 points to finish ahead of second-place CWU (178.5 points), led by seven first-place finishes.
Sophomore Avery Lux was the top collegiate placer in the men’s hammer throw, turning in a lifetime best mark of 54.90m/180-1. That mark moves him up to No. 4 in the WWU outdoor record book, an improvement of 8 feet over his previous PR of 52.45m/172-1.
Freshman Paige Shimkus won the women’s javelin competition with a top mark of 46.34m/152-0, blowing past her previous best mark of 44.53m/146-1 set last week at the Ed Boitano Invitational. Shimkus moved up to No. 3 in the national rankings, trailing only Talena Murray of Angelo State (47.67m/156-5) and teammate Raquel Pellecer (47.31m/155-2). She also moved into the WWU all-time top-10 with the 10th-best mark in program history.
Junior Lexi Perry won the women’s pole vault competition clearing 3.50m/11-5.75 to tie for the 9th-best mark in program history.