ELLENSBURG, Wash. – It was déjà vu for the Western Washington University Track & Field program at the 2022 GNAC Outdoor Championships, with the men's squad earning a third consecutive team title and the women repeating as the runner-up during the two-day championships held at the CWU Recreation Sports Complex.

 

The Viking men recorded their ninth overall outdoor team title and have won three consecutive outdoor titles going back to 2019. Including the indoor conference championships, the WWU men have won the last six track & field team titles. WWU's dominating performance over the last two days resulted in scoring points on 20 of 21 events for 240 total points, a 110.5-point advantage over second-place Northwest Nazarene (129.5). Senior Bryant Welch led the charge for the Vikings winning both the 200m and 400m on Saturday.

 

During the two-day event, the Viking men recorded six event wins, had 21 All-GNAC performances, set one program record, made nine new entries in the WWU outdoor top-10 record book and achieved 20 personal-best marks.

 

The WWU women earned a second-place team finish with 130 points, trailing the 155 points of first-place Western Oregon. The Vikings tallied points in 16 of 21 events and were led by 86 points from field events and a double-win by Ila Davis in the steeplechase and the 5000m. 

 

During the two-day championships, the Vikings recorded four event wins, had 11 All-GNAC performances, had six new entries in the WWU all-time top-10 record book and set tallied 15 personal-best marks.

 

"All around, it was two days of really great performances up and down the roster," said WWU head coach Pee Wee Halsell. "The men were really phenomenal to go out and take care of business the way they did, just putting together a dominating performance. And the women's team was really solid with a lot of gutsy performances. It was a fun championship for the entire team and another great day to be a Viking."

 

Here is a look at the final team scores for the 2022 GNAC Track & Field Outdoor Championships held May 13-14 at the CWU Recreation Sports Complex in Ellensburg:

 

 

Western Washington University now has won seven team GNAC titles in 2021-22, including a pair won on Saturday with the men's track & field team and the women's rowing team raising GNAC trophies. The additional five teams to win GNAC titles this year include volleyball (fourth straight, advanced to national semifinal), women's basketball (advanced to national championship game), indoor men's track & field and men's and women's golf.

 

The Viking men capped its dominating championship performance with a solid series of performance on Saturday. WWU logged three event wins and 10 All-GNAC performances on the final day of the championship, which included six top-10 marks in program history.

 

Bryant Welch recorded a double win in the 200m and 400m, accomplishing this feat for only the third time in the 19-year history of the championships. He joins Isaac Frederick of Western Oregon who doubled in the 200-400 in both 2003 and 2004. Welch repeated as the 200 champion with a time of 21.70 to rank 4th in WWU history. His 400 time of 47.85 moved up to No. 3 in program history. He also anchored the winning 4x400 relay team to complete the meet.

 

Ben Malquist repeated as the shot put champion with a throw of 15.60m/51-2.25.

 

The 4x400 relay team of Ryan Witters, Mark Daniels, Lucas Brenek and Welch capped the championship team performance winning the final event of the meet clocking 3:15.86 for the 8th-best time in WWU history.

 

Drew Weber dueled Simon Fraser's Aaron Ahl for the 800m title, placing 2nd in 1:50.86, just ahead of teammate Mac Franks who placed 3rd in 1:51.42. Weber re-set his own record in the 800 in Friday's prelims in a time of 1:49.48, a mark that will put him in a good position to advance to nationals.

 

Noah Johnson captured the silver medal in the 100m dash clocking a personal-best time of 10.68 to move up to No. 5 in WWU history.

 

Franks added a second-place finish in the 1500m (3:48.33) to his win Friday in the steeplechase and third-place finish in the 800m to earn three All-GNAC medals.

 

Koby Okezie placed 2nd in the 110m Hurdles in a PR time of 14.50 to remain at No. 3 in the WWU record book and was also 4th in the 400m Hurdles in a personal-best time of 54.84.

 

Calahan Warren earned All-GNAC honors with a 3rd-place finish in the 5000m (14:51.70) and Kacey Provo tied for 3rd in the pole vault clearing 4.53m/14-10.25.

 

The Vikings had a strong second day of the GNAC Championships to shore up a second consecutive second-place finish, marking the fifth runner-up placing at the outdoor championships in program history.

 

Saturday's performances were highlighted by three event wins, six All-GNAC awards, eight personal-best marks and four program top-10 entries.

 

Ila Davis recorded her second win of the championships taking first place in the 5000m in 17:13.78 for the No. 9 time in program history. Davis also won the steeplechase in a national top-10 time of 10:31.55 on Friday.

 

Raine Westfall became the second Viking to win the hammer throw, increasing her No. 2 mark in WWU history with a top throw of 51.84m/170-1. Westfall joins WWU record holder Lindsay Wells (2012-13-14) as the only other Viking to win the event at the GNAC Championships.

 

Jessica Neal captured the high jump title after earning runner-up honors in 2021. Neal cleared 1.64m/5-4.5 on her first attempt for the winning mark to earn the gold medal.

 

Aliyah Dawkins earned All-GNAC honors with a 2nd place finish in the triple jump with the No. 5 leap in WWU history (11.83m/38-9.75). 

 

Distance runners Mia Crocker (1500m, 4:37.45) and Sophie Wright (800m, 2:15.14) both earned 3rd-place finishes to secure All-GNAC medals.

Here is a complete rundown of all the All-GNAC performances by Vikings that placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd (or a winning relay team) during the 2022 GNAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships:

 

 

The NCAA Division II nationals are set for May 26-28 at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. Entries are due by Monday, and the final list of accepted qualifiers will be announced on Tuesday afternoon. WWU currently has eight marks in the top 25 in the nation following Saturday's competition. Here is a look at the WWU hopefuls for nationals and where they rank currently in NCAA II:

 

• Amanda Short – Javelin (No. 5, 47.48m/155-9)
• Mac Franks – 1500m (No. 7, 3:42.22) & Steeplechase (No. 9, 8:52.50)
• Ila Davis – Steeplechase (No. 9, 10:31.55)
• Calahan Warren – 1500m (No. 10, 3:43.00)
• Drew Weber – 800m (No. 17, 1:49.48) & 1500m (No. 22, 3:45.77)
• Jeret Gillingham – Steeplechase (No. 18, 8:59.42)

 

Here is more information on the 2022 GNAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships:

 

• TFRRS Results | Men | Women
• WWU Results
• Championship Information
• Meet Program
• GNAC Record Book

 

The Viking men recorded their third consecutive outdoor team title, adding the 2022 indoor title. Dating back to 2019, WWU has won the last six men's track & field team titles with three each during the outdoor championship (2019, 2021, 2022) and indoor championship (2019, 2020, 2022).