By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University track and field athletes Bekah Daniel (So., Silverdale, WA/Central Kitsap HS), Molly Bond (So., Clarkston, WA/Asotin HS) and Carson Kennedy (So., Forest Grove, OR/Forest Grove HS) participated in the first day of multi-event competition at the West Coast Invitational on Thursday, May 9 at the Charles Bowles Track.

Daniel scored 2,612 points in the first four events of the heptathlon to build a 162-point lead over Justine Kueffner from Westminster College (Utah). Kueffner was in second place with 2,450 points. Bond ended the day in third place with 2,281 points. Daniel's top score was in the 100-meter hurdles, as she tallied 805 points.

Kennedy owned a score of 3,391 through the first five events in the decathlon. He was in second place behind Peter Delap of Whitworth University, who held first place with 3,521 points.

Daniel set personal records in the high jump and the 200-meter run and was near her career-best marks in the 100-meter hurdles and the shot put.

In the high jump, Daniel cleared 4' 9.75", breaking her previous top height of 4' 9". She earned a time of 27.11 seconds in the 200-meter dash, reducing her best time from 27.53. She was timed at 15.28 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles, finishing just .02 away from her personal record. She registered a distance of 32' 2" in the shot put, just five inches away from her all-time best.

Bond achieved a personal record time of 16.06 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles. Her previous top time was 16.15 seconds. Bond was successful at 4' 8.75" in the high jump, as she missed her personal record by just 0.25".

Kennedy established a new personal record in the 100-meter dash by nearly three-tenths of a second. He completed the race in 11.31, as he improved on his previous best of 11.60. He barely missed a personal record in the high jump, as he cleared 6' 0.75" compared to his top height of 6' 1".

Delap earned the top decathlon event score on Thursday with 806 points in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.25 seconds. Kennedy's top score of 793 also was in the 100-meter dash.

The multi-event competition will conclude on Friday, May 10. Events on the second day in the heptathlon will be the long jump, javelin throw and 800-meter run. The second day of the decathlon will include the 110-meter hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw and 1,500-meter run.

All of the remaining field events and running events in the West Coast Invitational will be held on Saturday, May 11.