SPOKANE, Wash. – The Western Washington University Track & Field team wrapped up a successful first day of competition at the 2022 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships with both teams in the lead following Monday's events at The Podium.
The Viking men scored 49 points with five events scored for a six-point lead over Western Oregon and the WWU women tallied 70 points through six events for a nine-point lead over WOU. WWU's men's squad is aiming for a third consecutive conference indoor title, while the women are in seek of their first indoor team title.
WWU totaled four school records and 14 entries into the program top-10 record book.
Through five events on the men's side, the Vikings had three event winners and four student-athletes earn All-GNAC honors for a top three finish. Another 13 have moved on to Tuesday's finals by placing in the top eight in qualifying heats.
The women combined for seven All-GNAC performances on Monday with one event win, two second-place finishes and four bronze GNAC medals. Four Vikings qualified for the finals after finishing in the top eight their prelim races.
Men's event winners for the Vikings included Kevin McDermott in the 5000m (14:52.36), Ethan Sterkel repeating as the long jump champion (7.26m/23-10) and Kacey Provo (4.65m/15-3) earning the 10th pole vault title in GNAC indoor history for the program.
Aliyah Dawkins won the high jump clearing 1.67m/5-5.75 and also placed 2nd in the five-event pentathlon with a school-record score of 3,340 points. Matty Lagerwey recorded a pair of All-GNAC performances with a 3rd-place finishes in the pentathlon (3,138) and the long jump (5.40m/17-8.75).
The GNAC Championships conclude Tuesday with the men's heptathlon beginning the day at 8:30 am, field events starting at 9:30 am and running events at 11 am. Live results can be tracked throughout the championship at GNAC.live.
Here is a look at the team scores through the first day of competition at the 2022 GNAC Indoor Track & Field Championships. Points are awarded to the top eight finishers on a 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for individual and relay events.
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MEN'S TEAM SCORES
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WOMEN'S TEAM SCORES
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Team
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Pts
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PL
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Team
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Pts
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1.
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Western Washington
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49
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1.
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Western Washington
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70
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2.
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Western Oregon
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35
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2.
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Western Oregon
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61
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3.
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Northwest Nazarene
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30.5
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3.
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Central Washington
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29
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4.
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Simon Fraser
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23
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4.
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Seattle Pacific
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20
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5.
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Alaska Anchorage
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22
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5.
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Simon Fraser
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17
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6.
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Seattle Pacific
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13
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6.
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Saint Martin's
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11
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7.
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Central Washington
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11.5
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7.
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Alaska Anchorage
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9
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8.
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Montana St. Billings
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7
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8.
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Northwest Nazarene
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8
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9.
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Saint Martin's
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3
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9.
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Montana St. Billings
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6
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5 Events Scored
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6 Events Scored
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Here is a look at the points breakdown for each WWU event to help establish the first-day lead for both the Viking men's and women's squads:
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WWU MEN'S POINTS
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WWU WOMEN'S POINTS
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Pole Vault
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17
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High Jump
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17
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5000m
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15
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Pentathlon
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15
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Long Jump
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10
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Weight Throw
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14
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Distance Medley Relay
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5
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Long Jump
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10
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Weight Throw
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2
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5000m
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8
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Distance Medley Relay
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6
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Total Points
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49
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Total Points
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70
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FOUR SCHOOL RECORDS BROKEN IN SPOKANE
Four school indoor records were broken during the first day of competition at the GNAC Championships. Here are a look at the record-breaking performances:
Here is a look at the All-GNAC performers for individuals placing in the top three in their event:
STERKEL REPEATS AS LONG JUMP CHAMPION
Junior Ethan Sterkel set a WWU indoor record with a leap of 7.26m/23-10 to repeat as the GNAC Indoor champion after taking the top honor during the last championships in 2020. WWU has now won the last three indoor long jump titles with Seren Dances reaching the top of the podium in 2019.
DAWKINS-LAGERWEY FINISH 2-3 IN PENTATHLON
Teammates Aliyah Dawkins and Matty Lagerwey finished 2-3 in the pentathlon to both record All-GNAC honors, marking the first time the Vikings have had two top three finishers in the event in championships history. Dawkins increased her school-record mark with 3,340 points to finish 2nd for the highest finish by a WWU student-athlete in the indoor championships. Lagerwey was 3rd with 3,138 points to move up to No. 3 in WWU history. Leanne Kibbee secured one point for the Vikings with her 8th-place finish (2,778 points) giving WWU 15 points for the event. Jenelle Hurley of Western Oregon overcame Dawkins in the final event (800m) to win the title with 3,457 points.
Sophomore Kacey Provo won the pole vault competition as the Vikings earned 17 total points in the event. Provo cleared 4.65m/15-3 for a PR, shattering his previous indoor best mark of 4.46m/14-7.5. He joins a lengthy list of Vikings to win the indoor GNAC title including two-time champion Scott Romney (2004-05), four-time champion Ryan Brown (2008-11) and JT Konrad (2019). Junior Cooper Cummings (4.45m/14-7.25) earned All-GNAC honors clearing 4.45m/ and Tyrel Halme (3.85m/12-7.5) earned one point placing 8th.
MCDERMOTT TAKES PODIUM IN 5000
Sophomore Kevin McDermott won the 5000m in 14:52.36 to earn 10 team points for the Vikings He becomes the third Viking to win the indoor 5000m, joining Steve DeKoker (2004) and three-time champion Jordan Welling (2008, 2010-11). WWU had a strong showing in the longest race of the championships earning 15 points with Kaleb Korta placing 6th in 15:08.02 and Jalen Javurek 7th in 15:17.17.
Junior Aliyah Dawkins won the high jump by clearing 1.67m/5-5.75 and sophomore Jessica Neal was 2nd with a clearance of 1.62m/5-3.75. Dawkins and Neal combined for 17 points (Neal tied for 2nd) repeating the 1-2 finish the duo had at the 2021 GNAC Outdoor Championships.
Junior Mac Franks was the top qualifier in a very fast 800m, bettering his own school record and moving up to No. 6 in GNAC history in a time of 1:51.07. Drew Weber was the second-fastest qualifier in 1:51.55 for the No. 2 time in Western history, while Will Henry (4th, 1:53.53) and Landon Sturdevant (8th, 1:55.02) also qualified for Tuesday's final.
CROCKER AND WRIGHT QUALIFY FOR 800 FINAL
Freshmen Mia Crocker (6th) and Sophie Wright (8th) both recorded top-10 program times and qualified for the finals in the 800m. Crocker clocked 2:17.05 for the No. 4 time in WWU history and Wright etched her name at No. 7 in the record book in 2:18.83.
KENNY IN THE LEAD IN THE HEPTATHLON
Freshman Ryan Kenny holds the lead in the heptathlon after the first four events with 2,652 points and is followed closely by the 2,647 points from Steven Schmidt of Northwest Nazarene. Junior Cooper Cummings is in 7th place out of nine competitors with 2,400 points. Kenn's strong first-day performance was bolstered by winning the 60m dash (7.28/785 points) and placing 2nd in the high jump (1.87m/6-1.5m/687 points).
ANOTHER RECORD FOR WESTFALL
Sophomore Raine Westfall eclipsed her own school record in the weight throw, placing 3rd with a throw of 15.64m/51-3.74. This marks the third time this season Westfall has set the weight throw record. Sophomore Katie Potts just missed out on an All-GNAC medal placing 4th with a massive PR throw of 15.50m/50-10.25 to move into the No. 2 spot in program history.
The WWU men had three qualifiers for the 60m dash finals, with freshman Tyrone Woodard leading the way as the top qualifier with a blazing-fast time of 6.97. Woodard became just the fourth Viking to run a sub 7-second 60m in WWU indoor history. Noah Johnson was the No. 6 qualifier in 7.03 (tied for 6th in WWU history) and Ryan Greenwalt qualified 7th in 7.04.
WELCH LEADS VIKINGS IN 200m
Senior Bryant Welch was the third-fastest qualifier in the 200m setting an indoor PR in 22.04 for the No. 2 time in program history. Ryan Greenwalt also qualified for the finals placing 8th in 22.47.
Here is a look at the top-10 performances in WWU indoor history that were recorded during the first day of the 2022 GNAC Indoor Track & Field Championships:
WWU Top-10 Performances at GNAC Championships:
- Aliyah Dawkins – Pentathlon, 3,340 Points (No. 1)
- Mac Franks – 800m, 1:51.07 (No. 1)
- Ethan Sterkel – Long Jump, 7.26m/23-10 (No. 1)
- Raine Westfall – Weight Throw, 15.64m/51-3.75 (No. 1)
- Bryant Welch – 200m, 22.04 (No. 2)
- Drew Weber – 800m, 1:51.55 (No. 2)
- Katie Potts – Weight Throw, 15.50m/50-10.25 (No. 2)
- Matty Lagerwey – Pentathlon, 3,138 Points (No. 3)
- Tyrone Woodard – 60m, 6.97 (No. 4)
- Mia Crocker – 800m, 2:17.05 (No. 4)
- Jerrod Lee – Weight Throw, 15.01m/49-3 (No. 6)
- Noah Johnson – 60m, 7.03 (T-No. 6)
- Sophie Wright – 800m, 2:18.83 (No. 7)
- Landon Sturdevant – 800m, 1:55.02 (No. 8)
The WWU Track & Field team concludes the GNAC Indoor Championships Tuesday with events starting at 8:30 am with the completion of the men's heptathlon and field events scheduled to start at 9:30 am. Live results and the link for the pay-per-view webcast can be found at wwuvikings.com/Live.
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