EUGENE, Ore. – For Oregon native Jeret Gillingham, the lure and magic of Hayward Field in Track Town USA provided a historic moment Friday night with the Western Washington University junior setting a school record in the 3000m steeplechase.

 

Gillingham, a native of Sandy, Oregon, set WWU's record in the steeplechase with a personal-best time of 8:52.33 to place 3rd in the race of nine competitors. He finished just behind Mac Franks, a Western graduate running for Club Northwest, who ran 8:50.73 beating his previous WWU record of 8:52.50 set in 2022. Gillingham's time is No. 3 in GNAC history and the early leader in all of NCAA Division II in 2024.

 

Junior Emma Smith led the Western women's distance runners placing 11th in the 5000m in a personal-best time of 17:35.00, followed by freshmen Ella Edens (13th, 17:39.33) and Danielle McLain (15th, 17:54.59).

 

Action at the Oregon Preview resumes Saturday at Hayward Field with the first event for a WWU student-athlete at noon in the women's pole vault. A majority of the WWU Track & Field program is competing Saturday and Sunday at the UBC Open in Vancouver.

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
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The Vikings continue the busy start to their spring break with the conclusion of the Oregon Preview on Saturday with events for WWU student-athletes beginning at noon and the start of the UBC Open at the Rashpal Dhillon Oval in Vancouver. The complete 2024 WWU Track & Field schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/TF.

 

Here is a look at WWU's schedule of events for the final day of the Oregon Preview:

 

• 12:00 pm – Women's Pole Vault (Mohlman)
• 1:30 pm – Men's Long Jump (Greenwalt)
• 2:42 pm – Men's 110m Hurdles (Edwards)
• 2:54 pm – Women's 400m (K. Cook)
• 3:12 pm – Men's 400m (Brenek, Le)
• 3:33 pm – Women's 100m (Cheney)
• 3:48 pm – Men's 100m (Greenwalt)
• 4:20 pm – Men's 400m Hurdles (Edwards)
• 4:30 pm – Women's Long Jump (Ko. Cook)
• 5:11 pm – Women's 200m (Cheney, Heiman, Miller, Polkinghorn)
• 5:26 pm – Men's 200m (Brenek, Le, Mickenham)
• 6:16 pm – Women's 4x400 Relay
• 6:24 pm – Men's 4x400 Relay

 

Here is a breakdown of results for WWU competitors from Friday at the Oregon Preview hosted by the University of Oregon at historic Hayward Field in Eugene:

 

Men's Results:

3000m Steeplechase: Jeret Gillingham (3rd, 8:52.33)

5000m: Jalen Javurek (12th, 14:42.86), Sten Brakstad (13th, 14:43.05), Jared Alderfer (18th, 14;49.93), George Karamitsos (20th, 14:59.62)

 

Women's Results:

5000m: Emma Smith (11th, 17:35.00), Ella Edens (13th, 17:39.33), Danielle McLain (15th, 17:54.59)

High Jump: Kora Cook (NH)