SPOKANE, Wash. – For the second consecutive season the Western Washington University Track & Field program earned a convincing sweep winning team titles at the 2025 GNAC Indoor Track & Field Championships.

 

The Vikings put the finishing touches on another GNAC sweep Tuesday at the Podium, extending its string of consecutive GNAC titles in indoor/outdoor track & field and cross country to 12 straight dating back to the 2023 outdoor championships.

 

The WWU men's squad scored points in 16 of 17 events for 143 total points, finishing well ahead of second-place Central Washington (117) and third-place Western Oregon (114). The Viking women also scored in 16 of the 17 events and compiled 143 total points to earn a big separation from second-place Central Washington (114) and third-place Simon Fraser (100).

 

The two-day event was highlighted by 20 All-GNAC performances for top three finishes (Men – 11, Women – 9) and five event champions.

 

Senior distance runner Kevin McDermott continued to etch his name in the GNAC record books winning the 3000m on Tuesday and the 5000m on Monday, winning both events in back-to-back championships. McDermott has now won nine GNAC individual titles across indoor and outdoor track and cross country, and has now won six gold medals at the GNAC Indoor Championships. After breaking his own record in the 3000m Friday at the Husky Classic in 7:57.88, McDermott ran 8:15.30 to beat Brody Kemble of Northwest Nazarene by over two seconds.

 

Sophomore Noah Turner became the first Viking to win back-to-back titles in the shot put earning the win with a throw of 15.67m/51-5. 

 

The Western women had four individual winners on Tuesday with junior Bec Bennett (400m), senior Mia Crocker (800m), sophomore Kora Cook (High Jump) and freshman Jessica Polkinghorn (Shot Put) all winning gold medals.

 

Bennett became the first Viking to earn the 400m title since 2012 when Eleanor Siler took home the title. Bennett set the meet record in the event during for the second consecutive day finishing in 54.65, bettering her preliminary mark of 54.85 set Monday. Bennett is a lock to race at nationals with her season-best time of 54.40 currently ranked No. 6 in NCAA II.

 

Cook cleared 1.73m/5-8 on her first attempt to secure first place in the event and just missed tying her own school mark of 1.76m/5-9.25. Cook is the third Viking to win the indoor high jump title at the GNAC Championships joining Maddie Taylor (2019) and Aliyah Dawkins (2022). Cook is also a lock to compete at nationals March 13-15 in Indianapolis with her school record clearance of 1.76m/5-9.25 currently No. 5 in the nation.

 

The women's throwing group had a big day with freshmen Jessica Polkinghorn (14.09m/46-2.75) and Kathryn Chapin (13.33m/43-8.75) recording two of the biggest indoor shot put throws in program history (ranking #1 and #3) to go 1-2 in the event to secure 18 points.

 

Senior Mia Crocker became the first Viking to win the indoor 800m race finishing the four-lap race in 2:11.62, just off her school-record time of 2:10.12 set Friday at the Husky Classic to earn GNAC Runner of the Week honors. Junior Emmy Kroontje (3rd, 2:12.65) and senior Sophie Wright (4th, 2:13.14) helped secure 21 points in the event for the Vikings. Wright also earned the silver medal in the mile running 5:06.32 for the runner-up finish.

 

The men's 400m crew also had a big day with freshman Isaac Ford (48.23) and senior Brian Le (48.24) finishing nearly in a dead heat to earn All-GNAC honors with the two fastest indoor times in program history.

 

Freshman Kaden Miller put together a solid performance in the seven-event heptathlon with 4,393 points for the No. 6 mark in program history, becoming the second Viking to earn a multis medal at the GNAC Indoor Championships.

 

Here is a unique look at the Vikings championship winning performance in Spokane:

 

1 – Vikings placed 1st as a team in the men's and women's team scoring

3 – School records achieved

9 – All-GNAC performances by the WWU women

10 – All-GNAC performances earned by the WWU men

12 – Consecutive GNAC titles won by WWU in Indoor/Outdoor Track and Cross Country

19 – Program top 10 marks achieved during two-day competition

20 – Total All-GNAC performances by the entire team during the 2025 GNAC Indoor Championships

29 – Student-athletes to earn All-GNAC medals at the championships including relay members

 

Here is a look at the final GNAC Indoor Track & Field Championships team standings. The WWU men won their ninth overall GNAC indoor title raising the trophy for the second consecutive season and fifth time in the last six occurrences of the event. The Viking women repeated as GNAC Champions after winning their first indoor title last season.

 

 

Here is a look at the All-GNAC performers from the 2025 Indoor Championships by placing in the top three to earn a podium spot at the conference championship: 

 

Day 2 – Tuesday:

• Bec Bennett (1st, 400m): Set the meet record winning the 400m in 54.65…fifth time a WWU runner has won the indoor 400m and first since three-time champion Eleanor Siler in 2012.
• Kevin McDermott (1st, 3000m): Added the 3000m title to his 5000m victory on Monday and now has nine individual GNAC titles (6 at indoor championships)…third runner in GNAC history to win the 3000m in back-to-back years and joins Micah Chelimo (UAA) as only other GNAC runner to sweep 3000/5000 races in back-to-back seasons at GNAC Indoor Championships.
• Noah Turner (1st, Shot Put): Repeated as the GNAC champion in the event with a top throw of 15.67m/51-5.
• Mia Crocker (1st, 800m): Became first Viking to win the indoor 800m at the conference meet taking the title in a time of 2:11.62.
• Kora Cook (1st, High Jump): Cleared 1.73m/5-8 to win the conference title after entering the meet with a GNAC-best mark of 1.76m/5-9.25.
• Jessica Polkinghorn (1st, Shot Put): In first conference meet set a PR to increase her WWU record to win the title with a throw of 14.09m/46-2.75…first Viking to win the indoor shot put at the conference championships.
• Kathryn Chapin (2nd, Shot Put): Placed 2nd with the 3rd-best throw in WWU history with a mark of 13.33m/43-9…WWU freshmen go 1-2 in the shot put.
• Sophie Wright (2nd, Mile): Earned silver in the mile in a time of 5:06.32 for the ninth All-GNAC medal of her career including cross country.
• Kaden Miller (2nd, Heptathlon): Recorded 4,393 points for No. 6 mark in WWU history to earn silver medal…just the second All-GNAC multis finish for a Viking at the GNAC Indoor Championships joining a 2nd-plae finish by Ryan Kenny in 2022.
• Isaac Ford (2nd, 400m): Earned silver medal improving his own school record in 48.23 in first GNAC Championships meet, the No. 8 time in GNAC history.
• Brian Le (3rd, 400m): Set PR in final GNAC indoor championships in 48.24 to improve No. 2 mark in WWU history and move into No. 9 in GNAC history.
• Emmy Kroontje (3rd, 800m): Earned bronze medal with time of 2:12.65 as Vikings go 1-3-4 in the event.
• Sydney Mohlman (3rd, Pole Vault): Set collegiate PR clearing 3.82m/12-6.25 to earn the bronze medal and move up to No. 3 in WWU indoor history…first indoor pole vault medal for a Viking since 2022.
• Corbin Herron (3rd, 60m Hurdles): Clocked PR of 8.18 to earn the bronze medal with 3rd-place finish and moved up to No. 3 in WWU history.
• Gabe Menicke (3rd, Triple Jump): Earned third GNAC indoor medal in the triple jump placing 3rd with a leap of 14.14m/46-4.75, the No. 5 mark in WWU indoor history.

 

Day 1 – Monday:

• Kevin McDermott (1st, 5000m): Repeated as the GNAC indoor 5000m champion in a time of 14:38.56 for 8th individual GNAC title of his career including cross country, indoor and outdoor track…fourth time winning the 5000m race at a GNAC Championships with his third indoor title. 
• Kurt Montero (3rd, Pole Vault): Earned bronze medal with personal-best mark (indoor or outdoor) clearing 4.50m/14-9 to earn six points for the Vikings.
• Miller Campbell (3rd, Weight Throw): Senior placed 3rd in the Weight Throw with a big toss of 17.33m/56-10.25 nearing PR. His effort gave the Vikings six points.

 

All four WWU relay teams earned All-GNAC honors for placing in the top three in the four relay events:

• Men's DMR (3rd, 10:14.77) – Connor Palmen, Sam Foust, Nathan Reseigh, Ian Eifert
• Women's DMR (2nd, 12:13.61) – Elie Bassett, Emmy Kroontje, Skye Stenehjem, Ila Davis
• Men's 4x400 (2nd, 3:15.47) – Evin Ford, Brian Le, Maurice Woodring, Isaac Ford
• Women's 4x400 (2nd, 3:46.80) – Hannah Polkinghorn, Caitlyn Cheney, Kennedy Cook, Bec Bennett

 

The Vikings have completed the main portion of the 2024-25 indoor season with NCAA selections announced on Tuesday, March 4. The 2025 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships are scheduled for March 13-15 at Fall Creek Pavilion in Indianapolis, Indiana. The fast-approaching outdoor season features an early start this season with the Ed Boitano Invitational hosted by the University of Puget Sound February 28-March 1 in Tacoma.

 

The Vikings swept the team titles earning the title of conference indoor champions for the second consecutive season. Dating back to the 2022 calendar year, the WWU men have won nine of 10 possible titles in cross country, indoor and outdoor, while the women have combined for seven of 10 titles. The Western track & field and cross country program has a current string of 12 consecutive team titles across men's and women's dating back to the 2023 outdoor championships.