SPOKANE, Ore. – It was certainly a Great Northwest Athletic Conference Indoor Championships to remember for the Western Oregon University women's track and field team. The Wolves placed second and came away with 115 points. The second-place result ties the 2004 team that placed second and the 115 points is the most since the 2005 team collected 118 points.
It was bunched over the top-four spots with Simon Fraser coming on late to win the title with 124 points. Right behind the Wolves was Western Washington in third with 113 points. Central Washington also posted over 100 points coming in fourth at 106.
Ana Popchock and Maliyah Thompson right away posted big time results in the 60 hurdles. Popchock tied her school record in the event crossing at 8.83 to come in third. Thompson was right behind at 8.84 to come in fourth. Thompson's time moves her to second on the WOU all-time list.
Thompson also landed a top-five finish in the 60-meter crossing at 7.77 to come in fifth. Thompson's new time moves her to second on the all-time program list. Maya Hopwood also ran in the event and came in eighth with a time of 7.88.
Jessy Hart tallied points in the 400-meter crossing at 59.45 to come in seventh.
Popchock won the triple jump and set a new mark in the process hitting a distance of 37-2.25 which moves her to sixth on the all-time program list. Kalulusno Ngaida came in sixth with a mark of 35-4.50 and Macy Clemens came in ninth with a distance of 34-7.00.
Moana Gianotti won the shot put hitting a new mark in the process as well with a distance of 44-11.50. Gianotti improves her fourth-best all-time mark in the event in program history. Halle Hargett picked up some big points for the Wolves coming in fifth with a throw of 39-5.75. Liliana Lyness-Morales placed 17th and Emillia Carpenter came in 19th.
Katie Chapman just missed picking up points in the mile when she crossed in ninth with a time of 5:25.35. Lindie Larson came in 13th.
Caitlin Heldt and Kaylin Cantu collected more points for the Wolves in the 3,000. Heldt came in fifth with a time of 10:17.18, to help improve her time that ranks sixth all-time in program history. Cantu crossed in eighth with a time of 10:43.41.
The 4x400 relay team of Hurley, Thompson, Madeline Lambing and Hart helped the Wolves come in fifth with a time of 4:02.46.
WOU will now get ready for the SPU Last Chance that will take place this Saturday in Seattle before seeing how many athletes will qualify for the NCAA Indoor Nationals that will take place Mar. 11-12 in Pittsburg, Kan.
