BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University Track & Field team battled rainy and windy conditions, but still put up solid marks in the 2nd Annual WWU Team Invitational held Friday at Civic Stadium.
The Vikings men’s and women’s track & field teams hosted the University of British Columbia, Seattle Pacific University and Saint Martin’s University in a four-team quad meet. The WWU men recorded a wide-margin of victory with 248.5 points, well ahead of UBC (189 points). The women placed 2nd behind UBC with 184.5 points.
Here are some of the highlights of WWU’s performances on Friday:
Men’s Highlights:
» Freshman Karlington Anunagba made his WWU debut in style, winning the 100m in a time of 10.77 for the 6th-fastest time in program history. Also the fastest time in the GNAC this season and top 50 in NCAA II.
» Sophomore Bryant Welch won the 400m in PR time of 48.95, just off the top 10 in program history and 3rd-fastest in the GNAC this season.
» Sophomore Seren Dances won the long jump with a top mark of 7.07m/23-2.5, the 2nd-best mark in the GNAC this season.
» Freshman Ethan Sterkel finished 2nd in the long jump and moved into a tie for 9th in the WWU record book with a jump of 7.01m/23-0.
» Senior Kyler Sager won the 800m in 1:52.46, just off his PR of 1:51.94 and 2nd-fastest in the GNAC this season.
» Senior Jacob Ringold won the triple jump in 13.86m/45-5.75, the 2nd-best mark in the GNAC this season.
» Sophomore Ben Malquist set a PR in the shot put at 15.30m/50-2.5, just off the WWU all-time top 10 and 5th in the GNAC this season.
» Sophomore Avery Lux won the discus with a throw of 45.44m/149-1.
» JavU – Sophomore Cooper McNatt (55.48m/182-0) and junior Costel David (53.97m/177-1) placed 1-2 in the men’s javelin competition.
Women’s Highlights:
» Sophomore Talia Dreicer won the 3,000m steeplechase in 10:58.11, only the fifth sub 11-minute steeplechase performance in program history. Recorded an NCAA II provisional mark and is the 5th-best mark in WWU history. Also the 5th-best mark in the GNAC this season.
» Junior Lexi Perry set a PR in winning the pole vault clearing 3.55m/11-7.75, 9th-best in WWU history.
» Senior Maddie Taylor won the high jump clearing 1.67m/5-5.75.
» Junior Chanelle Eddy set a PR winning the shot put with a top mark of 12.52m/41-1, remaining at No. 6 in the all-time WWU outdoor top 10. Eddy also won the discus with a throw of 44.01m/144-5, just below her PR of 44.04m/144-6, and the 2nd-best mark in the GNAC this season.
» JavU – Freshman Paige Shimkus and junior Raquel Pellecer went 1-2 in the women’s javelin, with Shimkus winning the competition with a throw of 43.48m/142-8.