Wolves Open GNAC Combined Events Championships With Strong First Day

ELLENSBURG, Wash. -- With several Wolves in action, the Western Oregon University men's and women's track and field teams were well represented at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Combined Events Championships that began Monday on the campus of Central Washington.

Jenelle Hurley leads the Wolves in the heptathlon with 2,784 points to sit in third. JJ Walker leads the Wolves in the decathlon with 3,374 points to also sit in third. Amity Deters is ninth in the heptathlon with 2,300 points and Makenzie Smith is 11th with 1,983 points. Along with Walker in the decathlon, Deshaun Stevens is sixth with 3,115 points and Jake Thompson is in 11th with 2,654 points.

In the women's heptathlon, Hurley opened the day posting a personal-best in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.82 to come in fourth. Her time also moves her to 10th on the all-time program list in the event. Hurley turned right back around and was near a personal-best in the high jump when she tied for first with Alaska Anchorage's Elena Cano as both reached a height of 5-04.25. Hurley then placed seventh in the shot put, before closing the first day with a time of 27.07 in the 200-meter to place sixth. It's a crowded top of the leaderboard with Cano leading the way with 2,841 points, with Seattle Pacific's Renick Meyer right behind in second with 2,838 points.

Deters set several season-best marks on Monday in the 100-meter hurdles and the shot put. She opened the day with her new season-best time in the 100-meter hurdles crossing at 17.61 to place ninth. Deters was close to her top height this year in the high jump reaching 5-01.75 to place third. Deters hit a new season-best distance in the shot put to place ninth before finishing the first day coming in eighth in the 200-meter with a time of 27.59.

Smith opened the day coming in with a time of 18.37 in the 100-meter hurdles to place 11th. She placed seventh in the high jump, eighth in the shot put and 11th in the 200-meter.

On the men's side, Walker placed in the top-five in all five of the decathlon events on Monday and in the top-three in three events. He opened the day coming in fifth in the 100-meter crossing with a time of 11.57. Walker tallied his first top-three finish of the day in the next event hitting a distance of 22-01.50 in the long jump to place third. It was another third-place result in the shot put hitting a distance of 35-06.75. Walker kept his stretch of top-three finishes going as he came in third in the high jump reaching a height of 6-00.00. He closed the first day in the 400-meter placing fifth with a time of 52.70. Central Washington teammates Ryan Thoma and Braydon Maier lead the way with Thoma holding the top spot with 3,448 and teammate Maier right behind in second with 3,403.

Stevens opened the day coming in with a new season-best time of 11.74 in the 100-meter to place seventh. He hit a distance of 21-08.75 in the long jump to come in sixth. Stevens placed 11th in the shot put and after coming in 10th in the high jump, he closed the day strong winning the 400-meter with a time of 51.16 for a new season-best.

Thompson began the day coming in with a new season-best time of 12.12 in the 100-meter to place 11th. He reached a distance of 20-06.25 in the long jump to place eighth. He came in seventh in the shot put hitting a mark of 30-10.50 and Thompson placed 11th in both the high jump and in the 400-meter.

WOU will conclude the second and final day of the GNAC Combined Events Championships tomorrow (Tuesday) beginning at 10 a.m. Live results will once again be available and can be found here.

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Players Mentioned

Jenelle Hurley: Sophomore; FR

Makenzie Smith: Senior; JR

Amity Deters: Freshman; FR

Deshaun Stevens: Senior; JR

Jake Thompson: Sophomore; FR

JJ Walker: Junior; JR/JR

Players Mentioned

Jenelle Hurley
: Sophomore; FR

Makenzie Smith
: Senior; JR

Amity Deters
: Freshman; FR

Deshaun Stevens
: Senior; JR

Jake Thompson
: Sophomore; FR

JJ Walker
: Junior; JR/JR