By: Jeff Evans, Assistant AD for Athletic Communications
SEATTLE, Wash. – The Western Washington University Track & Field team continued its record-setting season Friday with two more school records falling during competition during the first day of the UW Invitational at Dempsey Indoor.
The women's distance medley relay team (DMR) set the school record with a time of 11:26.85 to finish 3rd out of 11 entries in the competition behind TCU (11:13.91) and the University of Idaho (11:21.69). The Viking quartet of Sophie Wright (1200m), Bec Bennett (400m), Emmy Kroontje (800m) and Ila Davis (1600m) broke the previous record of 11:27.45. Friday's DMR time will give the Vikings a good shot to compete at indoor nationals in Indianapolis in early March.
Bennett had another banner day in her first year as a Viking with the Australian re-taking the school record in the 200m with a time of 24.89, just 1/100th ahead of Caitlyn Cheney (24.90). Bennett initially tied the school record of 25.03 in her debut in December at the Spokane Invitational.
The Viking men also had a solid day of competition with the DMR placing 2nd in a time of 9:46.21 for the No. 2 mark in program history. Will Henry (1200m), Brian Le (400m), Jonah Bloom (800m) and Kevin McDermott (1600m) were just off the school record of 9:45.48 set in 2023. Senior Ryan Clough broke into the GNAC record book with the 8th-fastest 5000m in conference history and No. 3 in WWU history with a time of 14:18.47. Freshman Evin Ford clocked the 4th-best 200m time in Western indoor history in 21.94.
In addition to the two school records, WWU made 14 new entries into the program's indoor top 10 record book, continuing to rewrite history with over 50 top 10 marks achieved this season.
Additional highlights from Friday's competition at the UW Invitational include the following:
Men's Highlights:
- Men's DMR: WWU placed 2nd in the men's DMR with a time of 9:46.21 to rank No. 2 in program history and well below the NCAA provisional qualifying standard of 10:01.79.
- Ryan Clough set a PR in the 5000m with a time of 14:18.47, finishing 12th out of 40 competitors, the 8th-best mark in GNAC indoor history and No. 3 in the WWU record book.
- Evin Ford placed 5th out of 40 runners in the 200m, recording the No. 4 mark in program history clocking 21.94.
- Corbin Herron was one of three hurdlers to qualify for the finals, setting a PR in 8.24 for the No. 4 mark in program history.
- Augustas Haynes set a PR finishing 6th in the 60m hurdle finals in 8.39, 9th-best in WWU history.
- Hunter Flick finished 4th in the 60m hurdle finals in a time of 8.16 to earn an NCAA provisional qualifying mark.
- Calvin Gutierrez set a PR in the weight throw at 16.30m/53-5.75 to move up to No. 7 in WWU history.
- Owen Windrope (7th, 2,335), Kaden Miller (8th, 2,226) and Joey Brown (9th, 2189) are off to good starts through four events of the seven-event heptathlon.
- WWU had 10 entries in the men's 200m, all placing in the top 34 led by Evin Ford (5th, 21.94), Nolan Mickenham (7th, 22.01) and Isaac Ford (10th, 22.18)…eight clocked times sup 23 seconds in the race.
Women's Highlights:
- Bec Bennett broke the school record in the 200m with a time of 24.89 to finish 4th among 45 competitors.
- Caitlyn Cheney finished 6th in the 200m in 25.14, her second-fastest indoor time in the event behind what was the previous WWU record of 24.90.
- Kennedy Cook rank a PR of 25.33 in the 200m placing 11th out of 45 runners, establishing the No. 5 mark in WWU history.
- Ari Nguyen placed 7th in the prelims of the 60m hurdles in a PR time of 9.14 to tie for 5th best in program history.
- Nicole Avery placed 10th in the pentathlon with a PR score of 2,972 to move up to No. 6 in WWU history…Avery bested her mark of 2,860 set last weekend at the Lauren McCluskey Memorial.
- Ella Edens (No. 4, 17:31.55), Emma Smith (No. 9, 17:38.26) and Alanna Parker (No. 10, 17:38.95) all established program top 10 marks in the 5000m.
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:
The Vikings close out competition at the two-day UW Invitational Saturday at Dempsey Indoor on the University of Washington campus in Seattle. WWU is closing in on postseason competition with the GNAC Track & Field Championships held February 17-18 at The Podium in Spokane. The complete indoor schedule is available online at WWUVikings.com.
