TACOMA, Wash. – A pair of steeplechase provisional qualifying marks, six event wins and five top-10 record book entries highlighted the performance by the Western Washington University Track & Field team at Saturday's PLU Open.
 
Freshmen Jeret Gillingham (9:06.29) and Ila Davis (10:54.62) each won their version of the 3,000m steeplechase and recorded an NCAA Division II provisional qualifying mark. Davis secured the 5th-fastest time in program history, while Gillingham made a strong season debut as he looks to take down his own school record of 8:55.30 set at last year's GNAC Championships.
 
Additional event wins for the Vikings included Katie Potts in the discus (43.88m/143-11), Raine Westfall in the hammer throw (49.38m/162-0), Ryan Greenwalt in the 400m (50.60) and Jaden Edwards in the 400m Hurdles (56.16).
 
Westfall recorded the second-best hammer throw in WWU history and Potts moved up to No. 5 in the program top-10 record book. Additional top-10 marks by the Vikings included a pair of freshman in the 800m, led by a second-place finish by Mia Crocker (2:14.00, 7th in WWU history) and third-place by Sophie Wright (2:14.77, 9th in WWU history). Senior Brook Wedin placed 2nd in the 1500m in a personal-best time of 4:46.21 to close out her collegiate career as she graduates this quarter.
  Here are WWU's results from Saturday's PLU Open:
 
WWU Women:

• Raine Westfall – Hammer Throw (1st, 49.38m/162-0) – 2nd in WWU history
• Katie Potts – Discus (1st, 43.88m/143-11) – 5th in WWU history
• Ila Davis – Steeplechase (1st, 10:54.62) – 5th in WWU history, NCAA Provisional Mark
• Mia Crocker – 800m (2nd, 2:14.00) – 7th in WWU history
• Sophie Wright – 800m (3rd, 2:14.77) – 9th in WWU history
• Brook Wedin – 1500m (2nd, 4:46.21)
• Carmen Cleveland Barrera – Shot Put (3rd, 11.50m/37-8.75), Hammer Throw (9th, 33.99m/111-06)
• Caitlyn Cheney – 400m (4th, 1:01.89), Long Jump (6th, 4.43m/14-6.50)
• Naomi Bates – 400m Hurdles (4th, 1:08.48)
• Delphine Maurer – 1500m (4th, 4:57.95)
• Kaylee Coble – Pole Vault (5th, 3.05m/10-0)
• Jasmine Kaufman – Discus (8th, 35.52m/116-06), Hammer Throw (8th, 37.33m/122-05)
• Shawnee Konrad – Pole Vault (8th, 2.90m/9-6.25), 200m (12th, 28.41), 100m (14th, 13.80)

 
WWU Men:

• Jered Gillingham – Steeplechase (1st, 9:06.29) – NCAA Provisional Mark
• Ryan Greenwalt – 400m (1st, 50.60)
• Jaden Edwards – 400m Hurdles (1st, 56.16), 110m Hurdles (4th, 15.66)
• Drew Weber – Steeplechase (2nd, 9:25.35)
• Brian Le – 200m (2nd, 22.65), 100m (9th, 11.41)
• Ben Malquist – Shot Put (2nd, 15.19m/50-4.0), Discus (3rd, 44.99m/147-7)
• Jaydon Tryon – Javelin (2nd, 53.21m/174-07)
• Kaleb Korta – Steeplechase (4th, 9:36.61)
• Will Henry – 400m (4th, 50.93)
• Sean Witters – Javelin (4th, 49.26m/161-07)
• Landon Sturdevant – 400m (5th, 51.75)
• Jerrod Lee – Hammer Throw (5th, 45.61m/149-07), Shot Put (6th, 12.74m/41-9.75)
• Lucas Brenek – Long Jump (6th, 6.11m/20-0.50), 100m (10th, 11.51)
• Kale Engebretsen – 400m Hurdles (6th, 1:00.84)
• Alec Ritter – 800m (6th, 1:58.95)
• Ryan Witters – 200m (6th, 23.21)
• Ryan Henry – 400m (6th, 51.77)
• Jared Alderfer – 1500m (6th, 4:05.55)
• Jason Blinn – 1500m (7th, 4:06.73)
• Quinn Wilcox – 800m (7th, 1:59.60)
• Bryant Welch – 800m (8th, 1:59.88)
• Ethan Bursch – Steeplechase (8th, 10:45.49)
• Mark Daniels – 800m (9th, 1:59.96), 100m (17th, 11.85)
• Jonah Bloom – 400m (9th, 52.74)
• Brock Knowles – 1500m (9th, 4:07.36)
• Sonny Chhim (10th, 2:00.79), Long Jump (12th, 5.75m/18-10.5)
• Sean Sands – 1500m (21st, 4:18.41)

 
Relays:

• Women's 4x400 (2nd, 4:15.96 – Crocker, Wright, Davis, Maurer)
• Men's 4x400 (3rd, 3:30.20 – Sturdevant, Henry, Bloom, Knowles)

  The Vikings are right back in action next Saturday (March 19) continuing a busy start to the outdoor season with the Doris Heritage Track Festival hosted by Seattle Pacific University at West Seattle Stadium.
  The PLU Open is the second competition for the Vikings during a busy spring season, who are the two-time defending GNAC men's outdoor champions and the women's team is coming off a runner-up finish in 2021. The Vikings are scheduled to host a pair of Saturday home events at Civic Stadium during the season with the WWU Team Invitational on April 2 and the Ralph Vernacchia Track & Field Meet on April 30. WWU will also host the GNAC Combined Championships May 2-3.
  The Viking men not only recorded its third straight team title winning the 2021 GNAC Indoor Championships (2019, 2020, 2022), but also the program's seventh all-time for the most in conference history. Dating back to the 2019 season, WWU has won the last five GNAC Track & Field team titles with three indoor trophies and two outdoor championships (2019, 2021).