MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Washington University Track & Field program got off to a great start during the first day of the 2021 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships Friday at McArthur Stadium.
 
Both the WWU men and women hold a lead in the team standings through the first day of events of the two-day competition held on the Western Oregon University campus. The Western men hold a 96-60 lead over 2^nd-place Central Washington, and the women hold a 78-52 lead over CWU.
 
The first day of competition for the Vikings was highlighted by 16 All-GNAC performances (Top 3 finish in an event), 18 top-10 program performances, eight NCAA II provisional qualifying marks and five event wins. Western also had numerous student-athletes qualify for event finals during Saturday's final day of the championships.
 
WWU's banner day was led by a record-breaking performance in the men's 3,000m Steeplechase by freshman Jeret Gillingham, who won the event in 8:55.30 for the best time in program history and tied for the 4^th-best in GNAC history. The freshman from Sandy, Oregon broke the previous record of 8:59.67 set by Matthew Lutz in 2016. The Vikings finished 1-2-3 in the men's steeplechase, and took four of the top eight spots, with juniors Kaleb Korta (9:01.36) and Mac Franks (9:02.86) also earning All-GNAC honors for placing 2^nd and 3^rd respectively.
   
Senior Karlie Hurley and sophomore Aliyah Dawkins had standout performance for the Vikings on the women's side.
 
Dawkins won the high jump with a provisional qualifying mark of 1.73m/5-8 to tie for the 2^nd-best jump in program history. She also earned the team 8 points with a 2^nd-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 5.89m/19-4, also the No. 2 mark in WWU outdoor history. She rounded out her day qualifying No. 2 in the 100m Hurdles in 14.57.
   
Hurley, a senior transfer from Concordia and North Bend, Washington native, placed 3^rd in the long jump (5.70m/18-8.50) and qualified for the finals in both the 100m and 200m. She recorded three top-10 program marks during the first day of the GNAC Championships, including the No. 7 mark in the long jump, the No. 5 time in the 100m (12.08) and the No. 2 time in the 200m (24.65).
 
The Viking men picked up 19 team points with four top-8 finishers in the 10,000m, led by senior Eric Hamel winning the event in 31:11.96 and freshman Kevin McDermott placing 3^rd in 31:34.09.
 
Senior Ben Malquist won the shot put with a massive PR of 16.76m/55-0 for the No. 3 throw in WWU history.
 
Senior hurdler Cordell Cummings, a six-time GNAC champions, was the top qualifier in both the 110m and 400m events, including a PR effort of 14.46 in the 110m hurdles. Cummings swept both events in the last GNAC Championships in 2019.
 
WWU's men's sprinters also had a great opening day of the conference meet with Ryan Greenwalt (10.79, No. 7) and Tyrone Woodard (10.83, No. 10) qualifying for the finals of the 100m with top-10 program times.
  Here is a look at the team scores for both the men and women through the first seven events and first day of the 2021 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships:
 

Men's Team Scores				Women's Team Scores
PL	Team	Pts		PL	Team	Pts
1.	Western Washington	96.0		1.	Western Washington	78.0
2.	Central Washington	60.0		2.	Central Washington	52.0
3.	Western Oregon	56.0		3.	Western Oregon	45.0
4.	Saint Martin's	21.0		4.	Seattle Pacific	39.0
5.	Northwest Nazarene	18.0		5.	Northwest Nazarene	30.5
6.	Seattle Pacific	15.0		6.	Alaska Anchorage	11.5
7.	Alaska Anchorage	7.0		7.	Saint Martin's	11.0
8.	Montana St. Billings	0.0		8.	Montana St. Billings	6.0

  Here is a look at the All-GNAC performances by WWU student-athletes from the first day of the conference championships. WWU had five winners, five second-place finishes and six bronze medals. All-GNAC honors are awarded for podium finishes (1-2-3) in individual events and to members of the winning relay squads:
 
Men's All-GNAC Performers (8):

• Jeret Gillingham, Steeplechase, 1^st Place (8:55.30) – WWU Record, T-4^th in GNAC history
• Ben Malquist, Shot Put, 1^st Place (16.76m/55-0) – 3^rd in WWU history, 8^th in GNAC history
• Eric Hamel, 10,000m, 1^st Place (31:11.96)
• Kacey Provo, Pole Vault, 2^nd Place (4.58m/15-0.25)
• Kaleb Korta, Steeplechase, 2^nd Place (9:01.36) – 3^rd in WWU history
• Mac Franks, Steeplechase, 3^rd Place (9:02.86) – 4^th in WWU history
• David Tran, Long Jump, 3^rd Place (6.96m/22-10)
• Kevin McDermott, 10,000m, 3^rd Place (31:34.09)

 
Women's All-GNAC Performers (8):

• Talia Dreicer, Steeplechase, 1^st Place (11:04.04)
• Aliyah Dawkins, High Jump, 1^st Place (1.73m/5-8) – T-2^nd in WWU history, 7^th in GNAC history
• Jessica Neal, High Jump, 2^nd Place (1.70m/5-7) – 7^th in WWU history
• Aliyah Dawkins, Long Jump, 2^nd Place (5.89m/19-4) – 2^nd in WWU history, 8^th in GNAC history
• Katie Potts, Discus, 2^nd Place (41.43m/135-11)
• Karlie Hurley, Long Jump, 3^rd Place (5.70m/18-8.5) – 7^th in WWU history
• Ila Davis, Steeplechase, 3^rd Place (11:16.34) – 7^th in WWU history
• Taliah Coe, Discus, 3^rd Place (39.97m/131-1)

  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.