MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Washington University men's and women's track & field teams are off to a good start following the first day of competition on Friday at the 2019 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships held at McArthur Field on the Western Oregon University campus.
 
The men's team is in the lead with 65 points with 7 of 20 events completed, and the Viking women are in 3^rd place with 40.5 points. The WWU men are looking to add the 2019 outdoor team title to the indoor conference championship the program claimed in February. The two-day event concludes Saturday with field events beginning at 2:25 pm and the first running event at 4:45 pm.
 
Western sophomore Seren Dances (Port Townsend, WA) highlighted the first day of competition at the GNAC Championships, adding the outdoor long jump title to the indoor championship he claimed earlier this season. Dances, who also placed 6^th at the GNAC Multi Event Championships in late April, became the fourth Viking to win the outdoor long jump title (5^th time) setting a personal-best mark with a top jump of 7.20m/23-7.5 (4^th in WWU history). He joins former WWU jumpers Kyle McGillen (2005-06), Kevin Yates (2014) and Brett Watson (2015) as GNAC Outdoor Champions in the long jump.
 
WWU's distance runners also had a banner day on the track, with senior Dylan Hayes (Seattle, WA/Garfield) claiming All-GNAC honors with a 2^nd-place finish in the 3,000m Steeplechase finishing in 9:08.22. Sophomore Ed Kiolbasa (Stillwater, MN/Stillwater Area) also earned All-GNAC honors with a 2^nd-place finish in the 10,000m in 32:19.18.
 
Junior Chanelle Eddy (Bellingham, WA/Sehome/Whitworth) placed 2^nd in the women's discus with a top throw of 43.49m/142-8) and junior Lexi Perry (Arlington, WA/Lakewood/Spokane CC) was 3^rd in the women's pole vault clearing 3.62m/11-10.5). Both Eddy and Perry earned All-GNAC honors for top three finishes.
 
WWU All-GNAC Honors (top 3 individual finish):
»       Dylan Hayes, 2^nd, Steeplechase, 9:08.22
»       Ed Kiolbasa, 2^nd, 10,000m, 32:19.18
»       Chanelle Eddy, 2^nd, Discus, 43.49m/142-8
»       Lexi Perry, 3^rd, Pole Vault, 3.62m/11-10.5
  Here is a look at the team standings for the men and women's 2019 GNAC Track & Field Outdoor Championships through the first 7 (out of 20) events:
 

Men's Team Scores			Women's Team Scores
1.	Western Washington	65.0	1.	Seattle Pacific	66.0
2.	Concordia	48.0	2.	Central Washington	53.5
3.	Alaska Anchorage	39.0	3.	Western Washington	40.5
4.	Northwest Nazarene	36.0	4.	Concordia	33.0
5.	Central Washington	34.0	5.	Simon Fraser	32.0
6.	Saint Martin's	18.0	6.	Alaska Anchorage	23.0
7.	Simon Fraser	11.0	7.	Western Oregon	11.0
8.	Montana State Billings	10.0	8.	Montana State Billings	7.0
	Seattle Pacific	10.0		Saint Martin's	7.0
10.	Western Oregon	2.0	10.	Northwest Nazarene	0.0
7 of 20 Scored Events			7 of 20 Scored Events

Led by a 2^nd-place finish by Ed Kiolbasa, the Viking men picked up 18 points by placing four runners in the top seven in the 10,000m. Kiolbasa claimed 8 team points finishing in 32:19.18, followed by a 4^th-place finish from sophomore Eric Hamel (Enumclaw, WA) for 5 points. Sophomore Bentley Wilson (Newport Beach, CA/Newport Harbor) earned 3 points finishing 6^th and junior Matthew Creagan (Lake Forest Park, WA/Shorecrest/Whitworth) was 7^th for an additional 2 points.
  WWU showed off its depth in the high jump, with five Vikings placing in the top eight to score points for a 15-point event. Senior Tupre Wickliff was just off the podium for All-GNAC honors finishing 4^th with a top jump of 2.00m/6-6.75. Freshman Ethan Sterkel (Longview, WA/RA Long) placed 5^th also clearing 2.00m/6-6.76 to set a personal best and claim 4 team points.
  Sophomore Ben Malquist (Bellingham, WA/Sehome) placed 4^th in the men's shot put, claiming 5 points for the men. His top throw of 16.00m/52-6 established a personal-best mark by blowing by his old PB of 15.56m/51-0.75. His throw on Friday moved him up to a tie for 5^th place in the WWU outdoor all-time top 10.
  Friday was also a big day for qualifying, as several Vikings placed in the top eight in their heats to advance to the finals on Saturday. Here is a list of WWU student-athletes that qualified for finals on Saturday:
 
WWU Men's Qualifiers for Saturday Finals:
»       100m: Karlington Anunagba (2^nd, 10.82); Daniel Jones (200m, 8^th, 11.03)
»       200m: Bryant Welch (4^th, 22.01)
»       400m: Bryant Welch (4^th, 48.80); Jon Oglesby (8^th, 49.30)
»       800m: Kyler Sager (6^th, 1:54.42); Liam Cossette (7^th, 1:54.12)
»       110m Hurdles: Koby Okezie (1^st, 15.11), Cordell Cummings (2^nd, 15.12)
»       400m Hurdles: Cordell Cummings (2^nd, 53.45); Koby Okezie (6^th, 55.64)
 
WWU Women's Qualifiers for Saturday's Finals:
»       100m: Hannah Bradley (8^th, 12.19)
»       200m: Hannah Bradley (4^th, 24.82); Savannah Smith (5^th, 24.86)
»       400m: Savannah Smith (4^th, 56.28)
»       400m Hurdles: Molly House (7^th, 1:04.79)
  Junior sprinter Hannah Bradley (Bellingham, WA) equaled her career-best mark in the 100m in 12.19 (3^rd in WWU history) and set a PR in the 200m becoming only the fourth runner in program history to crack 25.00 in the event. Bradley's time of 24.82 moved her to 3^rd in WWU outdoor history. Senior Savannah Smith (Renton, WA) for the finals in both the 200m and 400m, including running a personal-best time of 56.28 in the 400m for the 3rd-best time in program history.
  Here is a look at the event schedule for the final day of the 2019 GNAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships:
 
Field Events:
»       2:25 pm (Men's Triple Jump)
»       2:30 pm (Women's Hammer Throw – men to follow)
»       2:35 pm (Men's Javelin)
»       2:45 pm (Women's High Jump)
»       3:05 pm (Men's Pole Vault)
»       5:00 pm (Women's Javelin)    
»       5:30 pm (Women's Triple Jump)
 
Running Events:
»       4:45 pm (Women's 4x100 Relay)
»       4:50 pm (Men's 4x100 Relay)
»       4:55 pm (Women's 1500m)
»       5:10 pm (Men's 1500m)
»       5:30 pm (Women's 100m Hurdles)
»       5:40 pm (Men's 111m Hurdles)
»       5:45 pm (Women's 400m)
»       5:50 pm (Men's 400m)
»       5:55 pm (Women's 100m)
»       6:00 pm (Men's 100m)
»       6:05 pm (Women's 800m)
»       6:10 pm (Men's 800m)
»       6:25 pm (Women's 400m Hurdles)
»       6:35 pm (Men's 400m Hurdles)
»       6:45 pm (Women's 200m)
»       6:50 pm (Men's 200m)
»       6:55 pm (Women's 5000m)
»       7:20 pm (Men's 5000m)
»       7:55 pm (Women's 4x400 Relay)
»       8:00 pm (Men's 4x400 Relay)