WEST SEATTLE, Wash. – The Western Washington University Track & Field team was in competition for the first time in over a year on Saturday at the Doris Heritage Track Festival.
 
The full-day meet held at West Seattle Stadium resulted in four events wins for the Vikings and a pair of NCAA II provisional qualifying marks.
 
Senior transfer Calahan Warren (Auburndale, FL/Embrey-Riddle) won the men's 5,000m in 14:16.17 in his WWU debut, recording the second-fastest time in program history and the sixth-best time in Great Northwest Athletic Conference history. Senior Eric Hamel (Enumclaw, WA) placed 2^nd in the 5,000m behind Warren in 14:43.56 for the No. 9 mark in Western history.
 
Senior transfer Karlie Hurley (North Bend, WA/Mount Si/Concordia-OR) won the 400m in 57.62 for the 10^th-best mark in WWU history. Hurley paced the 10-runner field in her WWU and also competed in the long jump placing 3rd with a jump of 5.32m/17-5.5.
 
Junior Ben Malquist (Bellingham, WA/Sehome) won the shot put with a throw of 15.29m/52-02 and freshman Trent Kibler won the high jump clearing 1.95m/6-04.75.
 
Junior Hannah Nienaber (Battle Ground, WA/Prairie) recorded an NCAA II provisional-qualifying mark in the javelin, throwing a personal best 44.61m/146-4.
 
"It was a great first day for the team to get back into competition that was highlighted by good performances," said WWU Track & Field head coach Pee Wee Halsell. "Calahan (Warren) and Eric (Hamel) had a really good 5000, and Karlie (Hurley) had a really solid debut in the 400. I was happy to see everyone out competing and I think it was  good start to the 2021 season."
  Junior Hannah Nienaber placed 2^nd in the javelin out of 18 competitors, recording a personal-best and NCAA II provisional qualifying mark of 44.61m/146-4. Her first throw of the season proved to be her best, passing her previous career long heave of 44.0m/144-4 at last season's opener at the Ed Boitano Invitational. Senior Amanda Short just missed the provisional mark placing 6^th with a top throw of 41.80m/137-2.
    The Viking men had eight runners compete in the 5,000m, with five placing in the top 12, and were led by a first-place finish from senior transfer Calahan Warren. Warren clocked 14:16.17 for an early NCAA II provisional qualifying mark, and the second-fastest time in WWU history and No. 6 in GNAC history. Senior Eric Hamel finished 2^nd in 40-runner field in a personal-best time of 14:43.56, moving him to No. 9 in WWU history. Freshman Kevin McDermott (Port Orchard, WA/South Kitsap) placed 5^th and junior Mac Franks (Lake Forest Park, WA/Shorecrest) also was in the top-10 in 9^th place at 15:03.15.
  Senior Karlie Hurley (North Bend, WA/Mount Si/Concordia-OR) won the 400m in her WWU debut, turning in the 10^th-fastest time in program history in 57.62. The transfer from Concordia (OR) also competed in the long jump placing 3rd with a jump of 5.32m/17-5.5. 
  Junior Ben Malquist (Bellingham, WA/Sehome) won the shot put competition with a solid season-opening mark of 15.29m/50-2. Malquist recorded his winning mark on the first throw of the finals to top the 17-thrower field, finishing ahead of Central Washington throwers Ethan Tonder (15.09m/49-6.25) and Aidan Cain (14.88m/48-10).
  Freshman Trent Kibler (Tumwater, WA) won the high jump competition in his collegiate debut, clearing 1.95m/6-4.75. Kibler placed 3^rd at the 2019 2A WIAA State Championship in the high jump. He beat out second-year WWU freshman Damian Mercado (Maple Valley, WA/Tahoma), who cleared 1.85m/6-0.75. Mercado also placed 2^nd in the long jump with a top leap of 6.26m/20-6.5.
 

• 1500m Women: Senior Talia Dreicer (Las Cruces, NM/Los Alamos) placed 5^th in the 1500m in a personal-best time of 4:50.65, besting her previous time of 4:51.63 set in 2019 … freshman Sienna Taylor (Jackson, WY/Jackson Hole) made her collegiate debut placing 9^th out of 21 runners in 5:01.20.
• Javelin Men: Sophomore Jaydon Tryon (Woodinville, WA/Everett CC) placed 2^nd in the men's javelin with a top throw of 52.12m/171-0.
• 100m Men: The WWU men had a solid showing in the 100m, with four top-10 finishes in the 23-runner field. Freshman Ryan Greenwalt (Kirkland, WA/Juanita) led the way placing 5^th in 11.11, with junior Bryan Welch (Burien, WA/Mount Rainier) right behind him in 6^th place with a PB of 11.26.
• High Jump Women: Freshman Jessica Neal (Lacey, WA/Timberline) placed 6^th in the high jump clearing 1.60m/5-3, placing 2^nd among NCAA II competitors.
• 400m Hurdles Men: Sophomore Koby Okezie (Tacoma, WA/Todd Beamer) placed 5^th in the 400m hurdles finishing in 57.31, leading a group of four Vikings in the event.
• Pole Vault Women: Junior Hannah Dodson (Seattle, WA/Nathan Hale) led a deep continent of Vikings placing 2^nd in the pole vault, clearing 3.30m/10-10.
• Solid 100/200m for Greenwalt: Second-year freshman Ryan Greenwalt placed 4^th in the 200m (22.49) and 5^th in the 100m (11.11). 

The Vikings made their 2021 debut today, marking the first time in over a full calendar year (379 days) that the Track & Field program has been in competition. WWU last competed as a team on March 6, 2020 at the Ed Boitano Invitational hosted by the University of Puget Sound at Baker Stadium in Tacoma. Sophomore Aliyah Dawkins was set to compete in the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships in the high jump in Birmingham, Alabama, but the COVID-19 pandemic halted all events for the rest of the spring.
  WWU will be back in action next weekend with the Ed Boitano Invitational on Saturday, March 27 hosted by the University of Puget Sound at Baker Stadium. The Vikings will host the first of two home meets with the WWU Invitational April 3 at Civic Stadium in Bellingham.
  The Doris Heritage Track Festival opened the 2021 season that is lined with events in late March, April and May, culminating with the GNAC Championships May 14-15 in Monmouth, Oregon (hosted by Western Oregon) and the NCAA II Championships in Allendale, Michigan (hosted by Grand Valley State). Here is a visual look at the complete 2021 WWU Track & Field schedule, with all events subject to change.
  The Vikings will be racing and competing with heavy hearts in 2021, the first time in over 35 years that Bill Roe has not had a presence with the program. The legendary Track & Field figure passed away in February 2020, leaving behind a huge legacy in the WWU program. The WWU Cross Country Classic will be named in Bill's honor in Fall 2021, but the 2021 track season is also dedicated to the person that gave so much to the track & field community.
  Fans can follow WWU Track & Field online at WWUVikings.com/TF, and via social media on Twitter (@WWUTFXC), Instagram (@wwutfxc) and Facebook (@WWUTFXC).