BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University Track & Field team hosted the 42nd Ralph Vernacchia Invitational Saturday at Civic Stadium.

 

A full day of competition featured heavy rain at the start of the meet, but the spring Northwest weather grew better as the afternoon went on. WWU recorded 15 event wins and seven program top 10 marks. The Vikings also topped the team scoring with the men recording 285.0 points to finish well ahead of second-place British Columbia (84.75) and the women had 165.0 points to place ahead of UBC (134.0).

 

Junior Katie Potts was a double-winner in the women's shot put (13.88m/45-6.5) and discus (46.47m/152-5), recording season-best marks in both events. Potts broke her own school record in the shot put.

 

Senior Jaden Edwards swept the men's hurdles races winning the 110m event in 15.45 and the 400m in 55.51.

 

Junior Kevin McDermott won the 1500m in 3:48.47 to equal the meet record he set last season.

 

Freshman Kennedy Cook ran a personal-best time of 56.77 to place 2nd in the 400m and move up to No. 6 in WWU history. 

 

Junior Nolan Mickenham won the 100m in 10.65, just off his personal-best time of 10.60 ran earlier this season at the Pacific Coast Invitational.

 

A full list of results for WWU student-athletes from the Vernacchia Invitational can be viewed at the following links:

 

• WWU Men's Results
• WWU Women's Results

 

Here is a look at the 15 event wins for the Vikings at the 2023 Vernacchia Invitational:

 

Men's Event Winners:

• Nolan Mickenham – 100m (10.65)
• Kevin McDermott – 1500m (3:48.47)
• Jared Alderfer – 3000m Steeplechase (9:17.96)
• Ryan Clough – 5000m (14:19.62)
• Dylan Lennon – 10,000m (32:23.43)
• Jaden Edwards – 110m Hurdles (15.46), 400m Hurdles (55.51)
• 4x400 Relay – Le, Greenwalt, Brenek, Pinto (3:18.53)
• Gabe Menicke – Triple Jump (14.41m/47-3.5)
• Noah Turner – Shot Put (15.00m/49-2.5)
• Liam Wall – Discus (44.55m/146-2)

 

Women's Event Winners:

• Laura Halsell – 3000m Steeplechase (11:05.48)
• Ila Davis – 400m Hurdles (1:03.99)
• 4x400 Relay – Heiman, Ledesma, Cook, Cheney (3:51.45)
• Hannah Polkinghorn – Long Jump (5.51m/18-1)
• Katie Potts – Shot Put (13.88m/45-6.5), Discus (46.47m/152-5)

 

WWU recorded the top team scores amongst both men's and women's collegiate programs, with the following scoring breakdown according to NCAA rules with 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 for the top 8 individuals regardless of affiliation, and 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 for relays (only one relay per institution may score). Below is the team scoring for all colleges that competed at the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational:

 

 

Here is a look at the seven top 10 marks achieved in program history at the Vernacchia Invitational:

 

• Katie Potts – Shot Put (13.88m/45-6.5, School Record)
• Miller Campbell – Hammer Throw (55.91m/183-5)
• Ryan Clough – 5000m (14.19.62, 6th)
• Kennedy Cook – 400m (56.77, 6th)
• Annie Tran – Pole Vault (3.67m/12-0.5, 6th)
• Sophie Wright – 1500m (4:32.17, 7th)
• Laura Halsell – 3000m Steeplechase (11:05.48, 8th)

 

WWU recognized 10 senior student-athletes for their contributions to the program. The graduating student-athletes are the following: Marian Ledesma, AJ Jones, Matty Lagerwey, Jalen Javurek, Drew Weber, Lucas Brenek, Jaden Edwards, Meaera Nystrom, Ethan Bursch and Annie Tran.

The Ralph Vernacchia Invitational is named in honor of the former mentor of the Track & Field and Cross Country programs at Western Washington University. Ralph's career included one cross country and seven track & field district titles, as well as countless NAIA All-Americans and NAIA Scholar-Athletes. Ralph is retired from Western, where he was a professor in the PE Department, and from USA Track & Field, where he was the Sports Psychological subcommittee chair. He served as sport psychologist for the 2000 USA Track & Field Olympic team in Sydney. He was inducted into the WWU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1988.

 

The Vikings will have four competitors in the GNAC Combined Championships that will be held April 29-30 (Monday-Tuesday) at Civic Stadium in Bellingham. WWU will be represented four athletes competing in the women's heptathlon (7 events) by Nicole Avery, Karma Walker, Tess King and Cassandra Schulberg. The two-day event, featuring the men's decathlon and women's heptathlon, run Monday and Tuesday at Civic Stadium. More information, including the event schedule, can be viewed online at GNACSports.com.

 

While the GNAC Combined Championships will be held Monday-Tuesday in Bellingham, the Vikings have just one more meet prior to the GNAC Outdoor Championships that will be held May 10-11 in Ellensburg. A handful of student-athlete will compete at the Portland Twilight next Saturday on May 4 in Portland at Griswold Stadium. The complete 2024 WWU Track & Field schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/TF.