Results

TACOMA, Wash. - The Western Washington University Track & Field team opened the 2016 outdoor season with several outstanding performances at the Puget Sound Invitational Saturday afternoon at Peyton Field at Baker Stadium.

The Vikings had a handful of athletes perform in the season-opening outdoor meet, finishing 5th in both the men's (71.50 points) and women's (56.0 points) team standings in the six-team invitational.

"Overall I thought today was an outstanding start to our outdoor season on a beautiful day in the Pacific Northwest," said head coach Pee Wee Halsell. "Bethany (Drake) gave an outstanding performance in the javelin and I thought Matt Lutz ran an exceptional race in the steeplechase. It was good to get outside in a meet setting and start competing."

2014 NCAA II champion javelin thrower Bethany Drake (Sr., Sandy, OR) returned to meet action after missing last season with a back injury to record the win with an NCAA II automatic qualifying mark of 50.17m (164' 7") on her final throw of the day. Drake set a school record and won the 2014 Division II championship with a throw of 51.66m (169' 6"). Her mark is the early throw to beat at the Division II level going well beyond the automatic qualifying mark of 48.50m (159' 1").

A pair of freshman javelin throwers also earned NCAA II provisional qualifying marks, with Mariah Horton (Kelso, WA) and Anosi Laupola (Port Orchard, WA/South Kitsap) both passing the 43m mark in their first collegiate meets.

Also earning wins on the women's team were Megan Mortensen (Jr., Tacoma, WA/Franklin Piece) in the discus (43.84m/143" 10'), Katelyn Wright (Sr., Washougal, WA) in the high jump (1.60m/5" 3') and Tracy Melville (Fr., Lamont, WA/Lind-Ritzville/Sprague) in the 10,000m (37:44.53).

Men's sprinter Tre'Von Powe (Tacoma, WA/Wilson) returned to his hometown and dominated the 100m and 200m winning both events in his first collegiate outdoor meet. Powe won the 100m in 11.28 and the 200m in 22.54.

Senior Matt Lutz (Bremerton, WA/Olympic) won the 3,000m Steeplechase in 9:15.15, bettering the NCAA II provisional mark of 9:16.7.

Also earning wins in on the men's team were Brandon Pless (Jr., Sedro-Woolley, WA) in the shot put (15.12m/49" 7.25') and Isaac Derline (So., Kent, WA/Kentridge) in the 1,500m (4:01.50).

Complete results from the meet follow below with WWU athletes highlighted: