SEATTLE, Wash. – The Western Washington University Track & Field program opened the 2024 season Saturday at the University of Washington Preview at Dempsey Indoor.
 
WWU's first indoor meet of the season was highlighted by achieving 18 top-10 program marks and junior Katie Potts breaking her own school indoor record in the shot put.
 
Senior Ryan Greenwalt sprinted his way up the record books with a time of 6.87 in the 60-meter dash prelims for the No. 2 time in program history and No. 8 in GNAC history. Juniors Brian Le (6.94) and Nolan Mickenham (6.95) helped the sprint group to a great debut with the No. 4 and No. 5 times in program history.
 
Coming off a historic cross country season that resulted in a trip to nationals and the West Region title, WWU's women's distance crew had a strong debut with sophomore Ila Davis running the third-fastest 3000m time in program history in 9:45.70 and sophomore Ashley Reeck entering the record books at No. 5 in 9:57.56.
 
Junior Mia Crocker broke the five-minute mark in the mile (4:59.97) to move up to No. 6 in program history and three runners set a PR in the 800m to record top-10 times. Sophomore Emmy Kroontje ran 2:15.11 to rank No. 3 in program history, followed by junior Sophie Wright (No. 7, 2:17.41) and sophomore Elie Bassett (No. 10, 2:18.77). Senior All-American Marian Ledesma placed 4th in the race in 2:14.55, nearly beating her top time from last season (2:14.40).
 
The men's distance crew recorded four program top-10 marks in the 3000m, highlighted by GNAC cross country champion Kevin McDermott moving up to No. 2 in WWU indoor history with a time of 8:10.96 to record an early-season NCAA provisional qualifying mark. Junior George Karamitsos (No. 7, 8:24.51), junior Ryan Clough (No. 8, 8:25.33) and freshman Sten Bradstad (No. 9, 8:26.90) also had top-10 performances.
 
The women's sprint crew was led by Caitlyn Cheney placing 15th in the 60-meter dash in 7.83, just 1/100th off her PR time of 7.82 set last season. Freshman Annabelle Heiman recorded the No. 8 time in program history in 7.93. Cheney and Heiman joined Ledesma and sophomore Brooke Mansfield on the 4x400 relay team that clocked the No. 7 time in program history (3:58.04).
 
WWU's field performances was highlighted by the throwers, with junior Katie Potts placing 2nd in the weight throw (15.38m/50-5) and breaking her own school record in the shot put placing 3rd with a mark of 13.82m/45-4.25. Sophomore Mara Parks moved up the top-10 list in the weight with a mark of 13.94m/45-9 to rank No. 6 in program history. Junior Miller Campbell placed 4th in the men's weight throw (16.52m/54-2) and sophomore Angelo Ramos hit a PR to move up to No. 6 in program history with a throw of 16.26m/53-4.  

WWU Results

Here is a breakdown of results for WWU competitors on Saturday at the season-opening UW Preview:
 
Women's Results:
60m Hurdles (Prelims): Brooke Mansfield (19th, 9.60), Isabella Porter (22nd, 9.77), Naomi Bats (25th, 10.16)
60m Dash (Prelims): Caitlyn Cheney (15th, 7.83) Annabelle Heiman (19th, 7.93) Hannah Polkinghorn (30th, 8.15)
200m: Caitlyn Cheney (17th, 25.85), Annabelle Heiman (21st, 26.22), Hanna Polkinghorn (28th, 26.62), Brooke Mansfield (29th, 26.64), Isabella Porter (48th, 27.65)
400m: Kennedy Cook (10th, 1:00.13), Naomi Bates (25th, 1:05.37)
800m: Marian Ledesma (4th, 2:14.55), Emmy Kroontje (7th, 2:15.11), Sophie Wright (11th, 2:17.41), Elie Bassett (13th, 2:18.77)
Mile: Mia Crocker (20th, 4:59.97), Sophie Wright (22nd, 5:00.56), Jill Philbin (39th, 5:20.28), Ella Edens (40th, 5:21.60), Roxanne Fredericksen (43rd, 5:27.19)
3000m: Ila Davis (36th, 9:45.70), Ashley Reeck (44th, 9:57.56), Emma Smith (53rd, 10:14.86), Evelyn Collins-Winn (54th, 10:16.11), Meaera Nystrom (58th, 10:21.75), Kayla Ramsey (63rd, 10:33.98), Kendall Carter (64th, 10:35.74)
4x400 Relay: WWU (5th, 3:58.04, Cheney, Ledesma, Heiman, Mansfield)
Shot Put: Katie Potts (3rd, 13.82m/45-4.25), Mara Parks (5th, 11.55m/37-10.75)
Long Jump: Ayla Danner-Bunn (14th, 5.05m/16-7), Hannah Polkinghorn (17th, 5.02m/16-5.75), Kora Cook (24th, 4.61m/15-1.5)
Weight Throw: Katie Potts (2nd, 15.38m/50-5), Mara Parks (8th, 13.94m/45-9), Dorothy Franklin (12th, 11.56m/37-11)
 
Men's Results:
60m Hurdles (Prelims): Hunter Flick (4th, Q, 8.41), Jaden Edwards (11th, 8.80), Austin Seals (16th, 9.45)
60m Hurdles (Finals): Hunter Flick (5th, 8.36)
60m (Prelims): Ryan Greenwalt (4th, Q, 6.87), Brian Le (10th, 6.94), Nolan Mickenham (12th, 6.95), Jaden Johnson (24th, 7.22), Anouthai Vongphet (28th, 7.26), Ethan Hong (41st, 7.60), Jaelin McQueen (42nd, 7.75)
60m (Finals): Ryan Greenwalt (6th, 6.90)
200m: Jaden Johnson (19th, 23.55), Jaelin McQueen (26th, 25.50)
400m: Brian Le (10th, 49.70), Owen Windrope (13th, 51.72), Jaden Edwards (16th, 53.01), Ethan Hong (19th, 53.89)
600m: Ian Eifert (8th, 1:23.71), Jonah Bloom (10th, 1:25.43), George Fernandez (11th, 1:25.69)
800m: Luke Reiss (18th, 2:00.85)
Mile: Sam Lingwall (33rd, 4:16.26), Ian Eifert (34th, 4:17.27), Ethan Bursch (45th, 4:20.12), George Fernandez (54th, 4:26.34)
3000m: Kevin McDermott (17th, 8:10.96), George Karamitsos (38th, 8:24.51), Ryan Clough (40th, 8:25.33), Sten Brakstad (42nd, 8:26.90), Jonah Billings (51st, 8:30.50), Leo Rutledge (58th, 8:33.93), Eduardo Tobon Sanchez (67th, 8:45.52), Cale O'Day (69th, 8:49.55), Spencer Zeljak (76th, 8:55.66), TJ Parnow (79th, 8:56.39)
4x400 Relay: WWU-A (3rd, 3:22.81, Edwards, Le, Woodring, Greenwalt), WWU-B (5th, 3:28.01, Seals, Windrope, Johnson, Hong)
Triple Jump: Troy Roberson (5th, 13.38m/43-10.75), Mikko Laulainen (6th (13.32m/43-8.5)
Weight Throw: Miller Campbell (4th, 16.52m/54-2), Angelo Ramos (5th, 16.26m/53-4), Nathan Simicich (8th, 13.61m/44-8)
Shot Put: Noah Turner (3rd, 13.90m/45-7.25), Miller Campbell (6th, 13.79m/45-3), Nathan Simicich (8th, 12.85m/42-2), Angelo Ramos (10th, 11.21m/36-9.5)
Pole Vault: Austin Seals (12th, 4.22m/13-10), Aidan Klein (13th, 3.92m/12-10.25)
Long Jump: Ryan Greenwalt (7th, 6.83m/22-5), Troy Roberson (10th, 6.50m/21-4), Anouthai Vongphet (6.33m/20-9.25)
 

Up Next For The Viks

The Vikings return to action in two weeks at the UW Invitational, with the two-day meet at Dempsey Indoor set for January 26-27 (Friday-Saturday). Friday's schedule begins in the afternoon at 3 pm and Saturday's schedule features events running from 9 am through noon.