LA JOLLA, Calif. – The Western Washington University Track & Field program sent a large contingent of student-athletes to Southern California to complete in the Triton Invitational hosted by UC San Diego.

 

Over the two-day competition at Triton Track & Field Stadium, the Vikings established 17 top-10 program marks, logged 11 NCAA II provisional qualifying marks and set two school records.

 

• WWU Women's Results
• WWU Men's Results

 

Here is a recap of the Vikings top performances at the Triton Invitational.

 

Junior Maurice Woodring ran the fastest 400m hurdles time in NCAA Division II this season, breaking his own school and GNAC record with a time of 50.69. Woodring placed 2nd out of 20 competitors just behind Josiah Johnson (50.42) of Northern Arizona. Woodring placed 9th at outdoor nationals last season, originally setting a PR of 50.95 in the prelims.

 

All-American Bec Bennett took a week off from her marquee 400m event (after running 53.78 last week), but had a strong showing running 12.26 in the 100m (-2.0 wind) and 24.39 in the 200m. Bennett anchored the winning 4x400 relay team with a time of 3:42.76 to rank No. 2 in program history.

 

The 4x100 relay team consisting of Lucas Brenek, Nolan Mickenham, Jackson Moffitt and Javonte Sutton broke the school record with a time of 40.51 winning the event. The relay time ranks No. 16 in NCAA Division II this season and moved up to No. 2 in GNAC history. The 4x400 relay team of Sam Foust, Lucas Brenek, Maurice Woodring and Jackson Moffitt placed 3rd in 3:10.64 for the No. 2 time in program history and No. 3 in GNAC history. The 4x400 time currently ranks No. 4 in NCAA Division II.

 

The women's 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams both recorded the second-fastest times in program history. The 4x400 team of Casie Kleine, Jayda Darroch, Kennedy Cook and Bec Bennett won the event at the Triton Invite with a time of 3:42.76, edging Cal State Northridge (3:42.93) to record the No. 2 time in NCAA Division II this season. The 4x100 team of Quinn Manley, Kennedy Cook, Hannah Polkinghorn and Ari Nguyen ran 46.43 to narrowly miss the current school record of 46.40 set last season.
 

 

Sophomore Kathryn Chapin continued her strong season setting a pair of personal-best marks in the hammer throw (53.17m/174-5) and outdoor shot put (14.34m/47-0.75). Chapin ranks No. 2 in the hammer throw an No. 3 in shot put in program history. Freshman Lauren Simicich recorded a PR of 42.83m/140-6 in the discus to enter the WWU top 10 at No. 9. Sophomore Jessica Polkinghorn placed 5th out of 28 competitors in the javelin with a top mark of 42.14m/138-3.

 

Sophomore Calvin Gutierrez unleashed a PR hammer throw and freshman Connor Inman established top 10 program marks in a pair of events to highlight the men's throwers at the UCSD Triton Invitational. Gutierrez placed 8th out of 35 competitors in the hammer throw with a top mark of 58.42m/191-8 to continue to close in on the school record of 62.87m/206-3 set by Michael Hoffman in 2011. Gutierrez ranks 28th in NCAA Division II following his latest PR. Freshman Connor Inman recorded the No. 9 mark in program history in the discus (48.72m/159-10) and established an outdoor PR in the shot put at 16.30m/53-5.75 to rank No. 5 in WWU history. Senior Angelo Ramos set a hammer throw PR (57.28m/187-11) to remain at No. 4 in program history.

 

Here are additional highlights for the Vikings from the UCSD Triton Invitational:

 

• Ari Nguyen set a PR in the 400m hurdles (1:01.79) placing 2nd out of 23 competitors. NCAA provisional qualifying mark ranks No. 35 in the nation this season.
• Kennedy Cook had a busy (and successful) trip to San Diego running in four events. She placed 7th in the 400m with a season-best 55.07 to rank No. 21 in the nation, 17th in the 200m (24.80) and ran on the 4x100 and 4x400 relays that ran the No. 2 times in program history.
• Jayda Darroch set PR marks in the 400m (55.45) to rank No. 4 in program history. Also set collegiate PR in 200m (25.35) and ran on the winning 4x400 relay team.
• Jakob Braunstein finished 5th in the men's javelin competition with a top throw of 61.99m/203-4.
• Nolan Mickenham ran a personal-best time of 21.34 in the 200m to rank No. 2 in program history and ran one of the fastest 100m times of his collegiate career (10.64).
• Lucas Brenek (11th, 47.96), Jackson Moffitt (12th, 48.03), Evin Ford (13th, 48.24) and Sam Foust (16th, 48.41) finished in the top 20 out of 41 competitors in the men's 400m.
• Kora Cook tied for 5th place in the women's high jump clearing 1.63m/5-4.25.

 

WWU is back in action on Saturday, April 11 crossing the border to compete in the Battle of Sparta hosted by Trinity Western University at McLeod Athletic Park in Langley, B.C. Links to follow results from all competitions are listed on the 2026 schedule at WWUVikings.com.