SPOKANE, Wash. --- The Western Oregon men's and women's track teams had a strong first day at the GNAC Indoor Championships – coming away with three conference titles and both teams sit in the top three of the standings.
Ujunwa Nwokoma won her second-consecutive indoor long jump title, breaking her own school record with a mark of 19 feet, 1.5 inches (No. 29 in D-II this season).
Also claiming an indoor title for the women ws Liliana Lyness-Morales in the weight throw a she set a personal best with a distance of 53-05, moving her up to fifth on the WOU all-time list.
The men also took home a title as Mark Warren won the weight throw with a distance of 59-02.25 (18.04 meters) – a personal best and moving him up from seventh to fifth on the WOU all-time list
There was also a school record tied in a prelim on the men's side as Justin Conklin ran a career-best 8.25 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles while qualifying for Tuesday's final – tying Kaleb Dobson (2016) for the top spot.
As a team, the WOU women sit in second place with 49 points through six of 17 events – just a point behind Western Washington – while the men sit in third place through five events.
Also on the men's side Monday, Amari Hendrix set a PR in the 400 at 48.81 seconds to qualify for the finals along with teammate Brennen Murphy (50.52). Hendrix also qualified for the 200 finals (22.13).
Isaiah Rodriguez had the fastest time in qualifying for the 800 (1;53.61) while Keeton Sanchez qualified fourth (1:53.68). Dominique Loggins qualified for the 60 finals (6.94) and Ping Koonantha took fourth in the long jump at 6.77 meters (22-02.50) to score points for the Wolves.
The heptathlon still has three events left, but WOU's Gabe Burchfield sits in third place with 2,552 points (he won the heptathlon high jump at 1.94 meters – 6-04.25) while teammate Caleb Ness is in fifth with 2,310 points.
On the women's side, Caitlin Heldt (5,000 – 17:47.10) and Amity Deters (high jump – 1.57 meters – 5-1.75), Macy Clemens (pentathlon - 3,116 points) and Emillia Carpenter (weight throw - 15.35 meters - 50-04.5) each finished fourth in their respective events to score points for the Wolves. Carpenter's mark is ninth on the WOU all-time list.
The distance medley relay team of Holly Hutton, Madeline Lambing, Kaydence Nguyen and Riley Smith took fourth with a time of 12:19.49 – sixth fastest time in WOU history.
Maliyah Thompson qualified in both the 60 (7.75) and 60 hurdles (9.05) while Josie Lavato had a PR of 7.91 seconds in the 60 – seventh in WOU history.
Action wraps up Tuesday at The Podium in Spokane, Washington.
