TACOMA, Wash. – The Western Washington University Track & Field team continued its early season schedule in the Northwest competing in the PLU Open Friday and Saturday.
 
Highlights from the event included two school records, eight program top 10 marks and three NCAA II Provisional Qualifying marks.
 
The Vikings won both the men's and women's competition for team scores, with the WWU men scoring 282 points (2nd place was PLU with 92) and Western women scoring 216 points (2nd place was SPU with 216).
 
Junior Bec Bennett made her outdoor debut for the Vikings breaking the 16-year-old school record in her marquee event 400m. Bennett ran 54.54 to set the early lead across NCAA Division II edging the previous school record of 54.59 set by Eleanor Siler in 2009. Bennett's mark is also 6th-best in GNAC history. She was also part of the winning 4x100 relay team that clocked 47.72 for the No. 5 time in WWU history. Bennett will run at indoor nationals next week in the 400m and as part of the DMR.
 
Freshman Jessica Polkinghorn made her outdoor debut for the Vikings setting the top program mark in the shot put with a throw of 14.59m/47-10.5 to better the previous mark of 14.14m/46-4.75 set last season by current senior Katie Potts. Polkinghorn's mark also entered the GNAC record book at No. 5 in conference history. In addition to winning the shot put event out of 18 competitors, Polkinghorn also won the javelin with a mark of 37.08m/121-8.
 
Sophomore Kennedy Cook also ran a solid PR of 24.33 winning the 200m for the second-best time in WWU outdoor history and tied for 7th in GNAC history.
 
Additional event wins came from Ashley Reeck in the 1500m (4:44.72), Ari Nguyen in the 400m hurdles (1:04.50) and Katie Potts in the discus (44.68m/146-7). Both relays also posted winning times in the 4x100 (47.72, No. 5 in WWU history) and in the 4x400 (4:12.00).
 
The men's team featured three program top-10 marks led by senior Brian Le (21.48) and freshman Isaac Ford (21.75) in the 200m, and sophomore Maurice Woodring in the 400m hurdles (52.78). Le moved up to No. 4 in WWU history and Ford made his outdoor debut tying for No. 7. After missing all of last the 2024 outdoor season with an injury, Woodring set a PR moving up to No. 4 in program history and No. 4 in GNAC history.
 
Additional event winners for the WWU men included Ryan Greenwalt in the 200m (21.47) and Long Jump (7.01m/23-0), Brian Le in the 400m (48.39), Maurice Woodring in the 400m Hurdles (52.78), Manu Greenlee in the High Jump (1.87m/6-1.5), Noah Turner in the Shot Put (15.36m/50-4.75), Liam Wallin the Discus (46.35m/152-1), Miller Campbell in the Hammer Throw (53.69m/176-2) and Jakob Braunstein in the Javelin (62.42m/204-9). Both WWU relay teams also posted winning times in the 4x100 (42.30) and 4x400 (3:19.69).
  WWU is back in action next week competing outdoors at the PLU Open (March 14-15). Three individuals and the women's DMR will compete at the 2025 NCAA Division II Indoor Championships March 13-15 in Indianapolis. The complete 2025 WWU Track & Field schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/TF.
  The Vikings swept the team titles at the 2025 GNAC Indoor Championships 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.