Western’s men and women’s track and field team fared well at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship, held Friday, Feb. 17 and Saturday, Feb. 18 in Nampa, Id.
The men placed third and the women second, with several medalists from both teams.
Western Oregon University placed first in the men’s division for the fifth year in a row, and Seattle Pacific University won the women’s division for the ninth consecutive year.
Junior Eleanor Siler won the women’s 400-meter race, making her a three-time league champion, with her winning time of 56.70 seconds.
Placing second in the women’s pole vault was junior Karis Anderson who cleared 12-5 ½, which also tied the current Western school record. Anderson lost to long time rival Kati Davis of Central Washington University who had fewer misses.
Though a close loss, Anderson had said before the meet that she and Davis’ long competitive history is a friendly one.
“If I had to be tied with anybody,” Anderson said. “I would want to be tied with Kati.”
Anderson was among many other Vikings who placed second including senior Emily Warman in the triple jump with a 38-7 mark and in the long jump with a mark of 18-7 ¾, senior Alex Tilley in the men’s 60-meter finishing in 7.04 seconds, senior Michael Hoffman in the men’s weight throw getting a mark of 52-9 ¼, freshman Logan Myers jumping 6-8 in the high jump, junior Cal Rosenberg clearing 14-11 in the men’s pole vault and both men’s and women’s distance medley relays.
Even more Vikings came in third, freshman Brett Watson in the high jump (6-8), sophomore Mark Pangilinan in the men’s 60 (7.05), freshman Katelyn Steen in the women’s mile (5:16.52) and both the men’s and women’s 4x400 relays.
The women’s 4x400 team comprised of juniors Siler, Alex McDonald, Valle Ledtke and sophomore Sydney Coffey finished in 3:58.17.
