By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University track and field teams will begin the 2020 outdoor season by hosting the Willamette Opener at the Charles Bowles Track on Saturday, March 7. Willamette will be battling against Western Oregon University and Corban University, along with unattached athletes. Action will get underway at 10 a.m. (PST).
Heading the list of top returning competitors for the Bearcats are two student-athletes who competed at the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships last season. They are Keaton Beckmann (Jr., Salem, OR/Sprague HS) and Hope Duenas (Sr., Covina, CA/Covina HS). Beckmann placed 11th at the NCAA Championships in the decathlon, while Duenas took 11th place in the women's discus. Both athletes are recovering from injuries and may not be available for the opening weekend.
Beckmann registered a final score of 6,519 to set a personal record at the NCAA Championships. He set three individual event personal records in the 110-meter dash, the 1,500-meter run, and the discus throw. In addition, he tied his personal record in the high jump. He remained seventh on Willamette's all-time list in the decathlon.
Duenas placed 11th out of 22 women's discus throwers at the NCAA Championships with a top distance of 136' 2". Her achieved her career-best discus throw of 148' 11" at last year's West Coast Invitational on May 11, 2019. She is ranked second on WU's all-time list.
At the 2019 Northwest Conference Championships, Duenas and Beckmann were two of six Bearcats who earned All-NWC honors by placing in the top three of an individual event or relay race.
Duenas won the NWC women's discus title for the second consecutive year with a winning toss of 147' 6". She placed third in the hammer throw at 138' 7". Beckmann was second in the long jump with a top leap of 22' 4.25" and was third in the javelin throw at 183' 0".
Beckmann competed alongside Connor Giannini (Jr., Veradale, WA/Gonzaga Prep), Brian Peck (Jr., Reno, NV/Reno HS) and Matt Ihling (So., Boise, ID/Capital HS) in the men's 4 x 400-meter relay at last year's NWC Championships, as the Bearcats took third place with a time of 3:26.39. All four runners are back this season.
Saige Swan (Jr., Crescent City, CA/Del Norte HS) earned second place in the men's shot put at the 2019 NWC Championships. His best throw at the NWC meet covered 47' 6.25". Swan's career-best toss was 149' 9.25" at the 2018 NWC Championships.
In 2018, Beckmann was named NWC Men's Field Freshman of the Year after placing third in the long jump, third in the 400-meter dash, and fifth in the decathlon. Duenas won her first NWC title in the women's discus that season, while Swan won the men's shot put. Giannini and Peck helped Willamette place third in the men's 4 x 400-meter relay.
Willamette Head Coach Matt McGuirk is in his 17th season leading the Bearcats in track and field. He recently completed his 16th season as the head coach of Willamette's cross country teams, and he is in his 21st season on the coaching staff. He was named NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field National Coach of the Year in 2004 (men) and 2007 (women).
Following the Willamette Opener, the Bearcats will return to action on Saturday, March 14 at the Lane Preview. The Bearcats will take on Corban University in the Willamette versus Corban Dual on Wednesday, March 18 and Thursday, March 19 at the Charles Bowles Track.
2020 Willamette Opener
Saturday, March 7
At Charles Bowles Track*
Tentative Schedule
Field Events
10:00 a.m. - Women's Javelin, followed by Men's Javelin
10:00 a.m. - Women's Long Jump, followed by Men's Long Jump
10:00 a.m. - Women's Shot Put, followed by Men's Shot Put
11:30 a.m. - Women's Discus, followed by Men's Discus
11:30 a.m. - Women's Triple Jump, followed by Men's Triple Jump
11:30 a.m. - Women's High Jump, followed by Men's High Jump
1:15 p.m. - Women's Pole Vault, followed by Men's Pole Vault
2:00 p.m. - Women's Hammer, followed by Men's Hammer*
* Note: Hammer throw will be held at Corban University
Track Events (Fastest heats first under 1,500m)
11:00 a.m. - Women's 1500m
11:10 a.m. - Men's 1500m
11:25 a.m. - Women's 5000m
11:50 a.m. - Men's 5000m
12:15 p.m. - Women's 100m hurdles
12:35 p.m. - Men's 110m hurdles
12:50 p.m. - Women's 100m
1:00 p.m. - Men's 100m
1:05 p.m. - Women's 400m
1:10 p.m. - Men's 400m
1:20 p.m. - Women's 800m
1:25 p.m. - Men's 800m
1:35 p.m. - Women's 200m
1:40 p.m. - Men's 200m
1:50 p.m. - Women's 400m hurdles
1:55 p.m. - Men's 400m hurdles
