BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University Track & Field program continues the early part of the outdoor season competing at the UBC Open Saturday and Sunday in Vancouver, BC.
 
In addition to a host of Vikings crossing the border to compete on the University of British Columbia campus, WWU will have two runners competing in Southern California with Alanna Parker in the 5000m Friday night at the Mangrum Invitational in San Marcos and Marian Ledesma in the 800m on Saturday at the Aztec Invitational.
 
WWU is off to a solid start to the outdoor season with 16 program top-10 marks and two school records falling in the first three weeks of the season. The Vikings have also obtained seven NCAA Division II provisional qualifying marks with five in the men's 10,000m and one each in the men's and women's steeplechase.
 
Following this week's action to wrap up the quarter break, WWU is right back in action next weekend with a small contingent of student-athletes traveling to the Bay Area to compete in the Mike Fanelli Track Classic and the Stanford Invitational. Western is also scheduled to compete in the PLU Invitational in Tacoma on April 1.
  The Vikings captured some Hayward Field magic last Friday evening at the Oregon Preview, with four Viking men running a sub 30-minute 10,000m. Led by a school-record performance from George Karamitsos in 29:40.69, the Viking four finished as a pack placing 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th in a deep 14-runner field to open the Oregon Preview. Karamitsos edged teammate Andrew Oslin, who set the WWU record of 29:41.92 set at the season-opening Ed Boitano Invitational on March 3. Oslin placed 7th in 29:45.88 for 7th place. Kevin McDermott clocked 29:48.23 to place 8th with the No. 4 time in program history and Jeret Gillingham was 9th in 29:54.66 to rank 5th in the WWU outdoor record book. Teammate Ryan Clough did not run in the event and now holds the No. 8 time in program history with 29:55.94 set earlier this month. Heading into this weekend, WWU have five of the top 10 times in NCAA Division II in the 10,000m.
  While it is very early in the outdoor season, WWU holds the top qualifying marks in the men's and women's steeplechase. Sophomore Jeret Gillingham nearly equaled his PR in the 3000m Steeplechase at the season-opening Ed Boitano Invitational clocking 8:55.62 and sophomore Ila Davis bettered her mark from nationals last season running 10:36.03. Both Gillingham and Davis were way below the NCAA II Provisional Qualifying times.
  Here is a listing of top performances this season that have entered the all-time WWU top 10 in program history:
 

• George Karamitsos: 10,000m (No. 1, 29:40.69)
• Andrew Oslin: 10,000m (No. 2, 29:41.91) – originally set school record
• Marian Ledesma: 800m (No. 2, 2:12.76)
• Kevin McDermott: 10,000m (No. 4, 29:48.23)
• Jeret Gillingham: 10,000m (No. 5, 29:54.66)
• 4x100m Relay: E. Johnson, Mickenham, Greenwalt, N. Johnson (No. 4, 41.52)
• Brian Le: 400m (No. 6, 48.35)
• Mia Crocker: 800m (No. 6, 2:13.41)
• Caitlyn Cheney: 100m (No. 7, 12.22), 200m (No. 7, 25.14)
• Angelo Ramos: Hammer Throw (No. 7, 53.99m/177-1)
• Miller Campbell: Hammer Throw (No. 8, 53.87m/176-9)
• Ryan Clough: 10,000m (No. 8, 29:55.94)
• Nolan Mickenham: 100m (No. 8, 10.77)
• Jonah Bloom: 800m (No. 10, 1:52.59)
• Ashley Reeck: 3000m Steeplechase (No. 10, 11:37.50)

  WWU is celebrating 100 years of the outdoor track & field program, with the varsity history of the program going all the way back to the first season in 1923. Track historian Paul Scovel researched and compiled a comprehensive history of the program in a document found online at WWUVikings.com/TF.

TF🎽 | We are celebrating 100 years of @WWUTFXC with the 2023 outdoor season and you won't find a more comprehensive historical document than the following link constructed by Paul Scovel!

🔗 : https://t.co/1hVLD2X8Wl pic.twitter.com/YMTYChINuT
— WWU Athletics (@WWUAthletics) March 23, 2023

  The 41st Ralph Vernacchia Invitational will be held on Saturday, April 29 at Civic Stadium in Bellingham. The complete 2023 WWU Track & Field schedule can be viewed online at WWUVikings.com/TF.