By: Jeff Evans, Assistant AD for Athletic Communications
ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Western Washington University Track & Field program made history Saturday, not only by sweeping the team titles at the 2024 GNAC Outdoor Championships for the second consecutive season, but also by making it a 6-for-6 sweep of the GNAC Track & Field and Cross Country team titles during the 2023-24 academic year.
WWU put together a dominating performance at this year's championship with the men scoring 238.0 points and the women 212.0 points, both finishing well ahead of second place and meet host Central Washington University.
The Vikings completed the GNAC sweep after claiming both cross country titles on October 21 in Anchorage, Alaska and a pair of indoor titles on February 20 in Spokane.
The men's team won its fifth consecutive outdoor title and 11th all-time while scoring points in 20 of 21 possible events during the championship. The elite distance crew paced the Vikings combining for 97 points in running events of 800 meters and above.
The women's team won its second team title after taking its first trophy home last year by scoring points in 19 of 21 events. The Vikings women's distance runners also had a great meet combining for 108 points.
Junior Katie Potts was selected as the Women's Field Athlete of the Meet after winning gold medals in the shot put on Friday and repeating as the discus champion on Saturday.
Junior Jeret Gillingham earned the award for the men's Performance of the Meet after winning the steeplechase Friday for the third time in his career while stetting the conference record with a time of 8:45.40. Gillingham also finished third in the 5000m to earn a bronze medal.
Here is a look at the final team standings from the 2024 GNAC Championships with the Vikings sweeping the men's and women's titles:
|
Men's Team Scores
|
|
Women's Team Scores
|
|
PL
|
Team
|
Pts
|
PL
|
Team
|
Pts
|
|
1.
|
Western Washington
|
238.0
|
1.
|
Western Washington
|
212.0
|
|
2.
|
Central Washington
|
185.0
|
2.
|
Central Washington
|
146.0
|
|
3.
|
Western Oregon
|
120.0
|
3.
|
Western Oregon
|
117.0
|
|
4.
|
Simon Fraser
|
67.5
|
4.
|
Simon Fraser
|
98.0
|
|
5.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
67.0
|
5.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
71.0
|
|
6.
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
66.0
|
6.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
68.0
|
|
7.
|
MSU Billings
|
31.5
|
7.
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
59.0
|
|
8.
|
Saint Martin's
|
23.0
|
8.
|
MSU Billings
|
31.0
|
|
9.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
15.0
|
9.
|
Saint Martin's
|
14.0
|
Saturday event winner for the Vikings included Marian Ledesma in the 800m, Katie Potts in the discus, Kevin McDermott in the 1500m, Gabe Menicke in the triple jump and the men's 4x400 relay to close out the meet.
WWU finished with 10 gold medal performances, 12 second-place finishes and 14 bronze medal placings for third-place finishes. Here is a look at the Vikings that earned All-GNAC honors by placing in the top three in events at the GNAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships:
All told during the two day meet the Vikings set four program records and made 25 entries into the program top-10 record book.
The women's 4x100 relay team of Annabelle Heiman, Caitlyn Cheney, Hannah Polkinghorn and Anna Miller set the program record in 46.80 while finishing third and Cheney broker her own school mark in the 100m running 11.63 (+3.1 wind).
Sophomore Gabe Menicke won the triple jump with the 2nd-best mark in program history leaping 14.97m/49-1.5.
Junior Kevin McDermott concluded a historic year of GNAC Championship performances by winning the 1500m, adding his indoor trifecta (Mile, 3000m, 5000m) and cross country individual title to his trophy collection.
A closer look at WWU's program records can be found in the updated WWU Record Book and information on Friday's performance can be viewed in the recap at WWUVikings.com.
