CORVALLIS, Ore. – With the first meet of the 2021 outdoor season in the books, the Western Oregon University men's and women's track and field teams will now turn their attention to the PNW Team Clash that will be hosted by Oregon State in Corvallis this Saturday.
The Wolves are set to send several athletes to the meet. In the 100-meter dash, Dominique Loggins, Jarren Ford and Maya Hopwood will compete for WOU. Loggins is coming off of winning the 60 during the GNAC Indoor Championships. Ford was able to compete in the only outdoor meet last year running in the 100 posting a time of 11.26 to win the event. Hopwood put together several top marks in the 55, 60 and 200 a season ago, posting top times of 7.02, 7.58 and 25.17 in those events.
Aaron Hanible will compete in the men's 110-meter hurdles. He competed in the 60-meter hurdles (8.85) and the 400-meter hurdles (57.12) a season ago, winning the 400 in the only outdoor meet last year at Willamette.
Maliyah Thompson will enter in her first event as a member of the Wolves in the women's 200-meter. She competed nearby at North Salem in the sprints and hurdles throughout her prep career.
In the women's 400-meter hurdles, Rilee Carstensen and Michaela Yonkman will compete for the Wolves. This will be the first collegiate event for Carstensen after completing her prep career in mostly the hurdles at Newberg. Yonkman has competed in the 60-meter hurdles, 100-meter hurdles and the 400-meter hurdles throughout her career, setting her best mark in the 400-meter hurdles at the GNAC Indoor Championships with a time of 1:01.59.
Shayla Solomon will enter in the women's 800-meter. Solomon competed in multiple 800's over the past few years, coming away with a top time of 2:18.62. She has also run in a few 400's and relays in addition to her time in cross country.
A trio of men will enter in the 800-meter in Emmett Klus, Tim Rambo and Trey Reed. Klus posted his top time in the 800 during one of the final events last year in the Seattle Pacific Final Qualifier coming in second with a time of 1:57.17. he has also competed in multiple relays, mile and cross country. Rambo will enter in his first collegiate event after competing at Mt. Baker High School in Auburn, Wash., specializing in sprints and some jumps. Reed has competed in multiple 800's throughout his time at WOU setting a top mark of 1:54.87. He has also run in some 400's, 600's, relays and cross country.
In the women's 1,500, Ashley Hauger, Caitlin Heldt and Kaiya Leamy will enter for the Wolves. Hauger will enter in her first event as a member of the Wolves after competing at Spokane CC in both cross country and track the past two years. Heldt will also enter in her first event as a member of the Wolves after competing at Northern Arizona and Maricopa CC in both cross country and track. Leamy is set to also see time in her first event for the Wolves after competing at Crescent Valley in Corvallis specializing in distance.
Adam Alnazer and Justin Crosswhite will compete in the men's 1,500. Alnazer has seen time in the 800, 1,000, 1,500 and mile during his time with the Wolves and holds a top time of 4:03.72 in the 1,500. Crosswhite has competed in multiple events for the Wolves including the 800, 1,500, mile, 3,000 and the relays in addition to his time with cross country. His top mark in the 1,500 sits currently at 3:51.45 in which he set during the outdoor season of 2019.
Dominic Giordano will enter in the men's 3,000 steeplechase. He was able to compete in one steeplechase during the 2020 season coming in with a time of 9:28.49 to win the event at the Linfield Icebreaker.
Keanu Daos and Bailey Smith will enter in the men's 5,000. Daos will compete in his first event as a member of the Wolves after transferring from Spokane CC where he competed in cross country and track. It will also be the first competition for Smith after arriving from Trinidad State JC where he competed in both cross country and track.
Karsten Collins will enter in the men's discus and hammer. Some of his top marks include hitting a distance of 148-4 in the discus and 131-7 in the hammer. He competed in the only outdoor meet last year throwing the shot put and discus.
Moana Gianotti will throw in the women's discus, hammer and shot put. Some of her top marks in all three sits at 141-10 in the discus, 145-7 in the hammer and 44-9 in the shot put.
Krystal Andres will enter in the women's discus and javelin. This will be the first collegiate events for Andres after competing at nearby North Salem specializing in the throws.
Liliana Lyness-Morales will enter in the women's shot put and hammer. This will also be her first collegiate events after competing at Santiam High School in Mill City, Ore., specializing in the throws and also competing in relays.
Sam Cole will enter in the men's hammer and shot put. Cole has seen time with the Wolves throwing the shot put, hammer and weight, as he has hit marks of 166-1 in the hammer and 48-6.75 in the shot put.
Owen Collins will enter in the men's hammer and shot put as well. He has thrown the shot put, discus, hammer and weight during his time at WOU with some top marks of 141-11 in the hammer and 48-10 in the shot put.
Austin Goldstein will compete in the men's javelin. Goldstein threw the javelin several times over the past year-plus for the Wolves hitting a top mark of 177-9.
Lyndee McLauchlin and Kaylee Wright will also enter in the women's javelin with Andres. McLauchlin competed in both the 60 and high jump for the Wolves last year, while Wright saw time in the 60, 200 and high jump.
Marley Harrison will enter in the men's triple and long jump. Harrison will compete in his first events for the Wolves, but remains in the GNAC after spending the past season at Concordia (OR) competing in the long and triple jump.
Jalon Fields will also enter in the men's triple jump with Harrison. Fields competed in the 100, triple and long jump in previous years hitting a mark of 45-7.75 in the triple jump.
WOU will also have a women's 4x100 and 4x400 team, along with a men's 4x400 team.
Live results will be available for the meet and can be found here.
