MONMOUTH, Ore. & TACOMA, Wash. – A total of 11 event wins and two program top-10 marks highlighted competition Saturday by the Western Washington University Track & Field team in two different meets.
 
The Vikings were split with competitions at the John Knight Twilight hosted by Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Oregon and at the PLU Invitational hosted by Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma.
 
Junior Koby Okezie recorded an impressive win in the men's 110m Hurdles, clocking the 5^th-fastest time in program history and 7^th-best in Great Northwest Athletic Conference history in 14.69 seconds.
 
Senior Karlie Hurley won the 200m in a personal-best time of 25.13 seconds, moving up to a tie for 5^th place in WWU history. The transfer from Concordia also took 2^nd in the 400m in 57.63 seconds.
 
At the PLU Invitational, senior Lexi Perry (Pole Vault) and freshman Brock Knowles (800m) recorded event wins, and freshman Jessica Neal took 2^nd place in the high jump.
  Sophomore Koby Okezie continued to excel early in his season, winning the 110m Hurdles in a time of 14.69 seconds. He moved up to No. 5 in WWU history and cracked the conference top 10 at No. 7 in GNAC history. WWU placed 1-3-4-7 in the nine-runner field, with senior Cordell Cummings placing 3^rd in 14.85, and freshmen Hunter Flick (15.14) and Jaden Edwards (15.90) 4^th and 7^th.

TF🎽 | Congrats to Koby Okezie of @wwutfxc moving up to No. 5 in program history in the 110m Hurdles, and entering the #GNACTF top-10 at No. 7. pic.twitter.com/l8XYU0bg6k
— WWU Athletics (@WWUAthletics) April 10, 2021

Senior Karlie Hurley won the 200m in 25.13 seconds to move into a tie for 5^th place in WWU history and placed 2^nd in the 400m in 57.63 seconds. Through the first four meets of her WWU career, Hurley has recorded program top-10 marks in the 200m (T-5^th), 400m (10^th), long jump (6^th) and triple jump (3^rd).

TF🎽 | Congratulations to Karlie Hurley on winning the 200m at the John Knight Twilight in a PB 25.13, moving up to a tie for 5th in the @wwutfxc outdoor record book. pic.twitter.com/KKhW0Mc86T
— WWU Athletics (@WWUAthletics) April 10, 2021

  After a year off the track, senior Cordell Cummings is quickly building back into championship form. The six-time GNAC hurdles champion won the 400m Hurdles at the John Knight Twilight in 53.90 seconds and placed 3^rd in the 110m Hurdles in 14.85 seconds. Cummings currently holds the No. 2 marks in program history in both events.
  Sophomore Aliyah Dawkins won the 100m Hurdles at the John Knight Twilight clocking 14.96, just off her personal-best time of 14.91 set last weekend at the WWU Invitational. She edged GNAC foe Elena Cano by seven-one-hundredths of a second to lead the 11-runner field. Junior two-sport athlete Mollie Olson (also plays basketball) placed 4^th in 15.84 and sophomore Leanne Kibbee was 6^th in 16.22. Dawkins also placed 2^nd in the high jump clearing 1.59m/5-2.5.
  Led by a first-place finish from senior Lexi Perry, four Western pole vaulters claimed top-seven finishes in competition at the PLU Invitational. Perry cleared 3.35m/10-11.75 on her third try in her second round to tie SPU's Scout Cai. Junior Hannah Dodson placed 3^rd by clearing 3.20m/10-6 and sophomore Sophie Paradis was 5^th clearing 3.05m/10-0.
  Here are some additional noteworthy performances from the track and field on Saturday by the Vikings:
 
John Knight Twilight (Monmouth, OR)

• Senior Ben Malquist won the shot put (15.95m/52-4) and placed 2^nd in the discus (41.71m/136-10).
• Sophomore Jamie Sanford won the women's long jump falling just short of a PB at 5.30m/17-4.75. She also placed 3^rd in the triple jump (10.63m/34-10.5).
• Junior Devon Olson won the women's triple jump with a leap of 11.20m/36-9
• Freshman Lucas Brenek placed 2^nd in the 400m with a time of 49.24 seconds.
• Senior Calahan Warren placed 2^nd in the 800m (1:54.00) after winning the 1500m Friday night.
• Freshman Damian Mercado placed 2^nd in the triple jump (13.59m/44-7).
• Freshman Katie Potts won the shot put with a mark of 12.61m/41-4.5.
• Sophomore Talia Coe placed 2^nd in the discus at 38.71m/127-0. 

PLU Invitational:

• Freshman Cooper Holy placed 2^nd in the men's pole vault with a PB of 4.25m/13-11.25.
• Freshman Ryan Kenny placed 2^nd in the 110m Hurdles (17.77).
• Freshman Jasmine Kaufman placed 2^nd in the women's shot put (11.48m/37-8).

UP NEXT FOR THE VIKINGS
Following the John Knight Twilight and the PLU Invitational this weekend, the Vikings will cross the state for the CWU Track & Field Meet that is scheduled to be held April 16-17 (Fri-Sat) in Ellensburg. This will be the first opportunity for WWU's multi athletes to be in action prior to the GNAC Multi Championships that will be held May 3-4 at the same CWU Recreation Sports Complex venue.
  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.