SEATTLE, Wash. – The Western Washington University Track & Field program opened the 2020 indoor season on Saturday at the UW Preview held at Dempsey Indoor.
 
Senior thrower Bryan Lee highlighted the Vikings performances with a personal-best throw of 17.47m/57-3.75 to place 9^th in the weight throw, moving up to the No. 2 spot in WWU indoor history. The senior from Sammamish returned from injury last season, inching towards the program-record mark of 17.53m/57-6.25 set by Brandon Pless in 2016. 
 
Freshman Drew Weber made his collegiate debut in style placing 6^th in the 800m, recording the 5^th-best time in program history in 1:55.15. Weber is a true freshman out of Fort Vancouver High School in Vancouver, Wash.
 
Junior Jon Oglesby finished 8^th out of 22 runners in the 400m, clocking the 9^th-best time in program history in 49.91.
 
Senior pole vaulter Lexi Perry placed 17^th clearing 3.51m/11-6.25 to record her WWU personal best, entering the program top 10 at No. 7.
 
Overall the Vikings made seven new entries into the program indoor record book with top-10 performances.
 
"It was a great start to the indoor season and really happy with how the team competed today," said WWU head coach Pee Wee Halsell. "We had some really good performances right out of the gates, with a couple of nice PR's and a couple more going for their best marks. Overall a great starting point for the team and we look to build off today's performances."
 
Additional meet highlights included the following by WWU student-athletes:
 

• Liam Cossette: Senior middle distance specialist placed 40^th in the mile, clocking the 9^th-best time in WWU history (indoor) in 4:18.62. He broke his previous PR of 4:21.00 set at last year's GNAC Championships.
• Noah Johnson: Sophomore sprinter placed 21^st in the 60m in 7.08, tied for the 10^th-best time in program indoor history.
• Jessica Neal: Freshman high jumper tied for 19^th place clearing 1.60m/5-3 for the 10^th-best mark in program history.
• Cordell Cummings: Senior placed 6^th in the 60m Hurdles clocking a time of 8.53 in the finals. Earlier in the day he recorded a 8.40 to qualify for the finals, narrowly missing his personal best of 8.33 set at last year's GNAC Indoor Championships.
• Aundrea Koger: Senior middle distance specialist placed 34^th in the mile, just missing a PR clocking 5:11.87 (PR is 5:10.86).
• Bryant Welch: Placed 24^th in the 60m with a PR time of 7.10, breaking his previous best of 7.16. Welch also placed 20^th in the 200m in 22.46.
• Hannah Bradley: Senior sprinter placed 26^th in the 60m (46 competitors) in 7.94, 14/100^th off her personal best time of 7.80 (the 2^nd-best mark in program indoor history). Bradley also placed 25^th in the 200m in 26.03.
• Annika Taylor: Top DII finisher in the 600m, placing 13^th in 1:39.31.
• Tupre Wickliff: Finished 6^th out of 21 competitors clearing 2.00m/6-6.75 in the high jump, equaling his season-best mark from the Candy Cane XII in December.
• Ben Malquist: Placed 9^th out of 17 competitors in the shot put with a top mark of 15.07m/49-5.5.

 
The UW Preview was the first of five events on the 2020 indoor schedule for the Vikings leading up to the GNAC Championships February 21-22 at Jackson Indoor Track in Nampa, Idaho. WWU is also scheduled to compete in the SPU Final Qualifier on February 29 at Dempsey Indoor. The 2020 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships