SEATTLE, Wash. – Western Washington University sophomore Aliyah Dawkins set the school record with 3,310 points in the pentathlon to highlight the Vikings first day of competition at the UW Invitational on Friday in Dempsey Indoor.
Dawkins record-breaking performance was one of nine new entries into the program top-10 indoor record book and one of two NCAA II provisional qualifying marks.
The sophomore from North Mankato, Minn., placed 5th out of 12 competitors in the five-event pentathlon, accumulating 3,310 points to set the program record. She bettered the previous mark of 3,144 points by Katie Reichert in 2013 and was above the 3,277 mark for the NCAA II provisional mark. Her performance was bolstered by winning the high jump clearing 1.72m/5-7.75 for the 4th-best mark in WWU history and No. 9 in GNAC history. She also set a PR in the 60m hurdles finishing in 9.31 seconds for the 8th-best time in WWU history.
A pair of distance runners gave sterling performances in the 5,000m, with junior Ed Kiolbasa and freshman Deyago Peraza both entering the program all-time top 10 for the indoor season. Kiolbasa finished 20th with a time of 14:36.45 for the second-fastest time in program history, going under the NCAA II provisional qualifying mark. Peraza became the fastest freshman in program history in the event placing 29th in 14:44.04, the 6th-best time in WWU indoor history.
DANCES SHINES DURING FIRST DAY OF HEPTATHLON
Sophomore Seren Dances is currently in 3rd place after the first four events of the heptathlon with 2,929 points. His first-day point total is an increase from last week at the Ed Jacob Invitational in Nampa, Idaho, completing the first four events with 2,857 points in that competition. Dances' first-day highlights included a 2nd-place finish in the long jump (6.88m/22-7) and a 4th-place performance in the high jump clearing 1.95m/6-4.75. His high jump mark established a personal best (indoors or outdoors) and is tied for the 10th-best mark in WWU indoor history. He also destroyed his personal-best mark in the shot put, placing 10th in the 15-competitor field with a throw of 11.51m/37-9.25. His previous best mark in the event was 11.15m/36-7 during the outdoor season. Competition wraps up Saturday with the 60m hurdles, pole vault and 1,000m.
WOMEN'S DMR ENTERS WWU TOP 10
WWU's women's Distance Medley Relay team placed 11th out of 19 teams, and was the 2nd-best among NCAA II programs clocking 12:10.58. The time is the 4th-best in program history and the fastest by a Viking quartet since 2011. The Viking DMR consisted of sophomores Rebecca Lehmanand Annika Taylor and juniors Shawnee Konrad and Jane Barr. GNAC rival Alaska Anchorage placed 2nd with an NCAA II provisional-qualifying mark of 11:51.24.
Senior sprinter Hannah Bradley set a PR in the 200m, besting her previous top time by 2/100thfinishing 18th in a time of 25.66. Bradley remains at No. 5 in WWU indoor history.
MEN'S DMR SNEAKS IN WWU TOP 10
The men's Distance Medley Relay recorded the 10th-best time in WWU history with a mark of 10.14.71, placing 11th out of 14 teams at the UW Invite. The relay consisted of senior Liam Cossette, sophomores Mark Daniels and Matt Jackson and junior Eric Hamel.
WICKLIFF PLACES 6TH IN HIGH JUMP
Senior Tupre Wickliff placed 6th out of 11 competitors in the high jump, clearing a season-high 2.01m/6-7.
Here are additional links on how to follow the UW Invitational on Saturday:
The UW Invitational is the third 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 with the 2020 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships
