ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Western Washington University Track & Field team was in action Saturday at the Central Washington University Wildcat Invitational at the CWU Recreation Sports Complex.
 
Sophomore Aliyah Dawkins led the way for the Vikings with three event wins, taking top honors in the 100m hurdles (14.61), high jump (1.67m/5-5.75) and the long jump (5.55m/18-2.5). Dawkins, who qualified for the NCAA II Indoor Championships in the high jump in 2019, recorded three top 10 WWU outdoor marks moving up to No. 6 in WWU history in the 100m hurdles, tied for 7^th in the high jump and No. 9 in the long jump.
 
Sophomore Koby Okezie recorded a personal-best time in the 110m hurdles for the third consecutive meet, winning the event in 14.55 seconds to move up to No. 3 in WWU history and No. 5 in GNAC history.
 
The men's team recorded seven event wins, with Okezie (110m Hurdles, 14.55), Ryan Witters (400m, 51.30), Cordell Cummings (400m Hurdles, 54.50), Trent Kibler (High Jump, 1.91m/6-3.25), Ryan Greenwalt (Long Jump, 6.70m/21-11.75), Ben Malquist (Shot Put, 16.01m/52-6.5) and Sean Witters (Javelin, 54.91m/180-2) taking top honors in their events. WWU also had six second-place finishes.
 
In addition to the three event wins by Dawkins, WWU recorded top finishes in the triple jump by senior Karlie Hurley (11.77m/38-7.5) and in the javelin by senior Hannah Nienaber (45.37m/148-10). Nienaber has recorded four first-place finishes in five meets this season in the javelin and is ranked in the top 10 nationally with a top throw of 47.52m/155-11.
 
Freshman Carmen Cleveland Barrera placed 3^rd in the shot put, recording a program top-10 mark throwing 12.32m/40-5 for the 9^th-best mark in WWU outdoor history.
  Sophomore Leanne Kibbee placed 7^th out of 11 competitors in the Heptathlon, recording 3,692 points in the seven events. Kibbee blew past her previous personal-best mark of 3,067 points set at the UBC Open in 2019. Kibbee's Saturday highlights included a massive PR in the 800m clocking 2:56.38, well below her previous best mark of 3:05.86.
  Freshman Ryan Kenny placed 5^th in the Decathlon scoring 5,498 points and sophomore Cooper Cummings placed 9^th with 2,837 points.
  The Vikings are scheduled to compete in the Peyton-Shotwell Invitational next Saturday hosted by the University of Puget Sound at Baker Stadium in Tacoma. WWU's next home meet will be the Ralph Vernacchia Track & Field Meet on Saturday, May 1 at Civic Stadium in Bellingham.