BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University Track & Field program continues its indoor schedule this weekend with a full squad of Vikings scheduled to compete in the two-day UW Invitational at Dempsey Indoor in Seattle.

 

WWU is looking to continue its strong early-season success at the two-day meet after already setting nine school records and 42 program top-10 marks in the first three meets of the season.

 

Friday's competition is set to begin with the men's high jump at noon and women's 60m hurdles at 2 pm, with Saturday's final day starting at 10 am with the women's high jump and the completion of the men's heptathlon.

 

The UW Invitational will serve as the last full-squad meet prior to the upcoming GNAC Indoor Track & Field Championships held February 17-18 at The Podium in Spokane. WWU will head to the conference championships as the defending champions with the men's and women's squad both winning team titles last year.

 

The UW Invitational features a full squad of Vikings in competition Friday and Saturday at Dempsey Indoor on the University of Washington campus. Here are links on how to follow the meet:

 

• Live Results
• Meet Schedule
• Watch Live on RunnerSpace.com (pay-per-view)
• Accepted Entries

 

The Vikings will make their DMR debut this weekend at the UW Preview, with both the men and women aiming for school records and NCAA qualifying times in both events. Here is a look at the lineup for the men and women's teams that will combine to run the 4000m race with legs of 1200m, 400m, 800m and 1600m. WWU has sent a DMR to the NCAA Championships in each of the last two years, with the men in 2023 and women in 2024. Here is the lineup with the school record listed:

 

• Men (9:45.48 in '23): Will Henry, Brian Le, Jonah Bloom, Kevin McDermott
• Women (11:27.45 in '24): Sophie Wright, Bec Bennett, Emmy Kroontje, Ila Davis

 

Through the first three indoor meets of the season, WWU has established nine school records:

 

• 60m (women) – Caitlyn Cheney (7.57)
• 200m (women) – Caitlyn Cheney (24.90)
• 400m (men) – Isaac Ford (48.51)
• 400m (women) – Bec Bennett (54.40)
• Mile (women) – Sophie Wright (4:52.16)
• Shot Put (women) – Jessica Polkinghorn (14.03m/46-0.5)
• High Jump (women) – Kora Cook (1.76m/5-9.25)
• 4x400 Relay (women) – Caitlyn Cheney, Kennedy Cook, Hannah Polkinghorn, Bec Bennett (3:47.31)
• 4x400 Relay (men) – Isaac Ford, Evin Ford, Sam Foust, Brian Le (3:16.37)

 

A total of 14 NCAA Division II provisional qualifying marks have been achieved through the first two meets of the indoor season. Here is where the Vikings rank nationally among NCAA II competitors:

 

• Caitlyn Cheney – 60m (7.57) – No. 25
• Bec Bennett – 400m (54.40) – No. 2
• Kennedy Cook – 400m (56.02) – No. 24
• Mia Crocker – 800m (2:11.11) – No. 15 & Mile (4:55.37) – No. 24
• Emmy Kroontje – 800m (2:11.63) – No. 20 & Mile (4:55.11) – No. 22
• Sophie Wright – Mile (4:52.16) – No. 10 & 800m (2:12.34) – No. 24
• Kevin McDermott – 3000m (8:02.90) – No. 8 & Mile (4:06.20) – No. 17
• Kora Cook – High Jump (1.76m/5-9.25) – No. 2
• Jessica Polkinghorn – Shot Put (14.03m/46-0.5) – No. 17
• Women's 4x400 Relay – 3:47.31 – No. 16

 

Senior sprinter Caitlyn Cheney has solidified her position as the fastest Viking in indoor program history setting school records in the 60m (7.57) and 200m (24.90) already this season. Cheney is also the school outdoor record holder in the 100m (11.63) and ranks No. 2 in the 200m in 24.62 heading into her final spring outdoor season.

 

Senior sprinter Nolan Mickenham has also solidified his spot as one of the fastest Vikings in history ranking No. 3 in the 60m (6.91) and No. 2 in the 200m (21.75) in the indoor record book. Mickenham is aiming for indoor school records set by All-American Alex Donigian in the 60m (6.72 in 2015) and 200m (21.63 in 2015). Mickenham also ranks No. 3 in the 100m (10.35) and No. 6 in the 200m (21.75) heading into his final outdoor season.

 

Junior Bec Bennett arrived at WWU with high expectations after making a name on the international scene competing for her native Australia. In two meets as a Vikings Bennett has twice set the 400m indoor record clocking 54.73 at the Spokane Invitational and bettering her mark to 54.40 at the UW Preview for the No. 2 mark in NCAA Division II this season. Bennett has also twice ran the final leg on record-breaking 4x400 relays and holds the No. 2 200m time (25.03) and tied for 9th in the 60m (7.91).

 

Senior Kevin McDermott is looking to put together another strong indoor season after claiming a trifecta last year in Spokane winning the mile, 3000m and 5000m races to earn Athlete of the Meet honors. McDermott has just competed once this winter with strong performances in the 3000m (8:02.90) and mile (4:06.20) at the UW Preview. 

 

The Vikings are the defending conference champions from last year's indoor championships, marking the first indoor title sweep in program history. Dating back to the 2022 calendar year, the WWU men have won eight of nine possible titles in cross country, indoor and outdoor, while the women have combined for six of nine titles. The Western track & field and cross country program has a current string of 10 consecutive team titles across men's and women's dating back to the 2023 outdoor championships.

 

The current schedule shows a handful of Vikings set to compete next week at the Riverfront Multis in Spokane, but that could change with several multi athletes competing in back-to-back weeks. The Husky Classic is next on the schedule being held February 14-15 just prior to the team competing in the GNAC Championships February 17-18 at The Podium in Spokane. The complete indoor schedule is available online at WWUVikings.com.