By: Jeff Evans, Assistant AD for Athletic Communications
SEATTLE, Wash. – The Western Washington University Track & Field program returned to action at the two-day UW Indoor Preview Friday and Saturday at Dempsey Indoor displaying great performances with one school record and 23 top 10 program marks.
The men's 4x400 relay team highlighted the performances setting the WWU and GNAC indoor record in a time of 3:11.92. The foursome of freshman Jackson Moffitt, sophomore Evin Ford, junior Maurice Woodring and sophomore Isaac Ford finished second in the race just behind club team GLS Speed (3:11.41). The time bettered the previous GNAC mark of 3:12.45 set by Alaska Anchorage in 2016 and broke the school record set last year with a time of 3:13.10. The current time is listed No. 6 in the nation at the NCAA Division II level.
The women's 4x400 relay team of freshman Casie Kleine, junior Jayda Darroch, junior Kennedy Cook and senior Bec Bennett placed second behind UW and Stanford in a time of 3:47.74, ranking second in program history. The mark obtained an NCAA provisional qualifying standard currently ranking No. 7 in the nation.
WWU Results at UW Preview:
WWU's distance runners made their indoor season debut to open the two-day meet Friday with several standout performances in the 3000m race. The Western men had four runners record program top 10 marks, led by sophomore Sten Brakstad setting a PR in 8:17.22 for the No. 5 mark in program history. Sophomores George Fernandez (No. 7, 8:18.93) and Jonah Billings (No. 8, 8:19.44), and senior Will Henry (No. 9, 8:19.80) also etched their names in the WWU record book.
Gallery: (1-17-2026) TF | UW Indoor Preview
Sophomore Sabrina Colbert led three women's 3000m runners making an entry into the Western record book, running a PR in 9:56.97 for the No. 5 mark in program history. Junior Ella Edens (No. 7, 10:02.99) and senior Alexis Parker (No. 10, 10:02.29) also set PR marks for top 10 performances.
Sophomore Ari Nguyen set three personal-best marks in her three races, recording top five program times in the 60m hurdles and 60m dash. Nguyen qualified for the finals in her marquee event 60m hurdles setting a PR in 8.95 seconds and lowered that mark finishing 7th in 8.93 for the No. 3 mark in program history. Nguyen has bettered her PR in her four times running the 60m hurdles this season. She also led WWU's sprint group in the 60m dash placing 18th with a time of 7.84 to tie for 5th-best in WWU history.
Coming off a solid cross country season, junior Emmy Kroontje set a PR in the mile on Friday in a time of 4:54.62 placing fifth in the "B" section of the race as the top D2 finisher. The mark ranks No. 3 in WWU history. Kroontje also placed eighth in the 800m in 2:12.40 to obtain a provisional qualifying mark that currently ranks No. 11 in the nation.
The Western throws crew was led by three program top 10 marks in the shot put event, led by a winning performance by sophomore Jessica Polkinghorn (14.75m/48-4.75). Sophomore Kathryn Chapin set a PR with the second-best mark in program history (14.14m/46-4.75) currently ranking No. 17 in NCAA DII. Polkinghorn's school-record and season-best mark of 15.19m/49-10 set at the Spokane Invitational ranks No. 9 in the nation. Junior Mara Parks (No. 4, 12.87m/42-2.75) and freshman Lydia Bailey (No. 7, 12.35m/40-6.25) also earned top 10 program marks in the event.
The jumps crew featured a pair of top 10 marks with senior Gabe Menicke placing eighth in the triple jump with an indoor PR mark of 14.16m/46-5.5 for the No. 5 mark in program history and senior Nicole Avery ranking 9th in the indoor long jump with a mark of 5.45m/17-10.75. Junior Sydney Mohlman placed second in the pole vault competition clearing 3.60m/11-9.75, just short of her season-best 3.75m/12-3.5 that ranks No. 17 in the nation.
In addition to their record-breaking performance in the 4x400 relay, Isaac Ford and Maurice Woodring also had top performances in the men's 400m race. Ford placed third in 48.27 for a provisional qualifying mark and Woodring set a PR in the event in 48.32 for the No. 3 time in program history. Freshman Jackson Moffitt placed eighth in 48.89 (No. 7 in WWU history) and senior Lucas Brenek set an indoor PR in 49.00 (tied for 8th in WWU history).
The women's 4x400 group also stood out individually with the four runners placing in the top 13 out of 28 runners. Senior Bec Bennett led the foursome placing second in 55.51 and junior Kennedy Cook was 9th in 57.25. Junior Jayda Darroch (12th, 57.61, No. 6 in WWU history) and freshman Casie Klein (13th, 57.89, 8th in WWU history) ran top 10 program marks.
Freshman sprinter Eliyah Dominique ran 21.86 to place fourth in the men's 200m, setting a PR for a mark that ranks No. 4 in WWU indoor history.
A majority of the squad will take next week off returning to action January 30-31 with the UW Invite and Mile City at Dempsey Indoor. WWU's multi athletes will make their season debut next week at the Lauren McCluskey Memorial hosted by the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. Links to follow results from all competitions are listed on the 2025-26 schedule at WWUVikings.com.
