By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University track and field teams are looking forward to competing at the 2023 Northwest Conference Track and Field Championships in Newberg Oregon, on Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20. Action is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. (PDT) on Friday and at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
George Fox University is hosting the NWC Championships, with all of the events being held at Stoffer Family Stadium.
Friday's schedule features finals in the men's and women's hammer throw, men's and women's long jump, men's and women's discus, men's and women's pole vault, men's high jump, men's and women's 3,000-meter steeplechase, and men's and women's 10,000-meter run. Preliminary heats will take place on Friday in the 100-meter, 200-meter, and 400-meter dashes, as well as the 100-meter/110-meter and 400-meter hurdles, and the 800-meter run. All track events on Saturday will be finals, while flights and finals will be held in the remaining field events.
Among the top challengers on the Willamette women's team who have been competing for at least two seasons with the Bearcats are Kaiona Apio (Sr., Edmonds, WA/Edmonds-Woodway HS), Mashani Coleman Toliver (So., Bellevue, WA/Sammamish HS), Tenley Grant (Jr, Longview, WA/Kelso HS), Zoe Heino (So., Portland, OR/Mountainside HS), Lecia Sincere (Jr., G, Bremerton, WA/Central Kitsap HS), Erica Snyder (So., Longview, WA/Mark Morris HS), and Whitley Stepp (So., Silverton, OR/Regis HS). All seven are ranked in the top 5 in the NWC in at least one event.
Apio is ranked fourth in the javelin throw with a top mark of 128' 11". Coleman Toliver has the second fastest time in the 400-meter hurdles at 1:08.39 and is 10th in the 100-meter dash at 12.75 seconds. Grant ranks first in the hammer throw with a toss of 158' 8" that is second on Willamette's all-time list. Heino ranks second in the NWC in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 11:45.11. Sincere holds the fifth-best distance in the triple jump this season at 34' 8.25". Snyder and Stepp are both part of a four-way tie for second in the high jump at 5' 3.75". Snyder also is sixth in the long jump with a mark of 16' 6.5".
Top challengers for the Bearcats in the men's events who have been competing at Willamette for at least two seasons are Jonas Cherry (So., Browns Valley, CA/Marysville HS), William Hennum (Jr., Henderson, NV/Liberty HS/SW Oregon CC), Elijah Jones (So., Salem, OR/Central HS), Simon Kidder (Sr., Bend, OR/Summit HS), Kaleb Mcarthur (So., Independence, OR/Central HS). All five are ranked in the top 8 in the NWC in at least one event.
Cherry is ranked eighth in the 110-meter hurdles at 16.05 seconds and is 10th in the 400-meter hurdles at 59.02 seconds. Hennum has the eighth-fastest time in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at 9:39.42. Jones is ranked fourth in the pole vault with a height of 14' 8.25. Kidder holds the seventh-best result in the 400-meter hurdles in 57.50 seconds. Mcarthur is fourth in the triple jump with a top mark of 42' 8.75" and is sixth in the long jump at 21' 8".
Bearcats Competing this Week
Schedule of Events
Friday, April 19 (Field Events are Prelims and Finals; Track Events are Prelims unless listed as Finals)
10:00 a.m. - Women's Hammer Throw (Two Flights and Final) - Tenley Grant (Flight 2)
11:00 a.m. - Women's 10,000-meter Run (Final) - None
11:50 a.m. - Men's 10,000-meter Run (Final) - Jay Chew, Joshua Evans
12:00 p.m. - Men's Hammer Throw (Two Flights and Final) - Parker Hisey (Flight 1), Roan Bashioum (Flight 2)
1:00 p.m. - Women's 100-meter Hurdles (Two Heats) - Lecia Sincere (Heat 1), Lavender Bel (Heat 1), Erica Snyder (Heat 2), Sage Miller (Heat 2)
1:15 p.m. - Men's 110-meter hurdles (Two Heats) - Jonas Cherry (Heat 2), Mason Williams (Heat 2), Matthew Nivala (Heat 2)
1:30 p.m. - Women's 400-meter Dash (Two Heats) - Kenzie Lee (Heat 2)
1:40 p.m. - Men's 400-meter Dash (Two Heats) - Finn Gibson (Heat 1), Myles Crandall (Heat 2)
1:50 p.m. - Women's 100-meter Dash (Two Heats) - Mashani Coleman Toliver (Heat 2)
2:00 p.m. - Men's 100-meter Dash (Three Heats) - None
2:00 p.m. - Women's Pole Vault (One Flight and Final) - None
2:00 p.m. - Men's Long Jump (Two Flights and Final) - Kaleb Mcarthur (Flight 2)
2:00 p.m. - Women's Discus Throw (Two Flights and Final) - None
2:15 p.m. - Women's 800-meter Dash (Three Heats) - Anna Bikle (Heat 3), Katie Wingo (Heat 3)
2:30 p.m. - Men's 800-meter Run (Two Heats) - Liam Bergevin (Heat 1)
2:45 p.m. - Women's 400-meter Hurdles (Two Heats) - Sage Miller (Heat 1), Katie Briggs (Heat 1), Mashani Coleman Toliver (Heat 2)
3:00 p.m. - Men's 400-meter Hurdles (Two Heats) - Simon Kidder (Heat 1), Jonas Cherry (Heat 1), Mason Williams (Heat 2), Caleb Graham (Heat 2)
3:15 p.m. - Women's 200-meter Dash (Two Heats) - Lavender Bel (Heat 2) -- This event may be two Heats of Finals on Saturday
3:25 p.m. - Men's 200-meter Dash (Four Heats) - None
3:35 p.m. - Women's 3,000-meter Steeplechase (Final) - Zoe Heino, Anastasiia Lemesh, Morgan Shaw
3:55 p.m. - Men's 3,000-meter Steeplechase (Final) - William Hennum, Adam Lewis
4:30 p.m. - Women's Long Jump (Two Flights and Final) - Erica Snyder (Flight 2)
4:30 p.m. - Men's High Jump (One Flight and Final) - None
4:30 p.m. - Men's Discus Throw (Two Flights and Final) - Parker Hisey (Flight 1), Roan Bashioum (Flight 2)
4:30 p.m. - Men's Pole Vault (One Flight and Final) - Elijah Jones (Flight 1)
Saturday, April 20 (Track Events are Flights and Finals; All Track Events are Finals)
10:30 a.m. - Men's Javelin Throw (Two Flights and Final) - Judah Ali'ifua (Flight 1)
10:30 a.m. - Women's Shot Put (Two Flights and Final) - Tenley Grant (Flight 1), Abigail House (Flight 1)
10:30 a.m. - Men's Triple Jump (Two Flights and Final) - Kaleb Mcarthur (Flight 2)
10:30 a.m. - Women's High Jump (One Flight and Finals) - Whitley Stepp (Flight 1), Erica Snyder (Flight 1)
12:00 p.m. - Women's 4 x 100-meter Relay (Final) - Willamette (Lavender Bel, Mashani Coleman Toliver, Kenzie Lee, Salah Williams)
12:05 p.m. - Men's 4 x 100-meter Relay (Final) - Willamette (Simon Kidder, Finn Gibson, Myles Crandall, Matthew Nivala)
12:10 p.m. - Women's 1,500-meter Run (Final in Two Heats) - Morgan Shaw (Heat 1), Zoe Heino (Heat 1)
12:20 p.m. - Men's 1,500-meter Run (Final in Two Heats) - Adam Lewis (Heat 1), William Hennum (Heat 1)
12:35 p.m. - Women's 100-meter Hurdles (Final) - Must Qualify on Friday
12:40 p.m. - Men's 110-meter Hurdles (Final) - Must Qualify on Friday
1:30 p.m. - Men's Shot Put (One Flight and Final) - None
1:30 p.m. - Women's Triple Jump (Two Flights and Final) - Salah Williams (Flight 2), Erica Snyder (Flight 2), Lecia Sincere (Flight 2)
1:30 p.m. - Women's Javelin Throw (Two Flights and Final) - Kaiona Apio (Flight 2)
1:30 p.m. - Women's 400-meter Dash (Final) - Must Qualify on Friday
1:35 p.m. - Men's 400-meter Dash (Final) - Must Qualify on Friday
1:45 p.m. - Women's 100-meter Dash (Final) - Must Qualify on Friday
1:50 p.m. - Men's 100-meter Dash (Final) - None
2:00 p.m. - Women's 800-meter Run (Final) - Must Qualify on Friday
2:05 p.m. - Men's 800-meter Run (Final) - Must Qualify on Friday
2:15 p.m. - Women's 400-meter Hurdles (Final) - Must Qualify on Friday
2:25 p.m. - Men's 400-meter Hurdles (Final) - Must Qualify on Friday
2:40 p.m. - Women's 200-meter Dash (Final) - Must Qualify or this may be two Heats of Finals)
2:45 p.m. - Men's 200-meter Dash (Final) - None
2:55 p.m. - Women's 5,000-meter Run (Final) - None
3:15 p.m. - Men's 5,000-meter Run (Final) - Jay Chew
3:40 p.m. - Women's 4 x 400-meter Relay (Final) - Willamette (Kenzie Lee, Mashani Coleman Toliver, Katie Briggs, Katie Wingo)
3:50 p.m. - Men's 4 x 400-meter Relay (Final) - Willamette (Myles Crandall, Simon Kidder, Nolan Wright, Finn Gibson)
