By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Erica Snyder (So., Longview, WA/Mark Morris HS) on the Willamette University women's track and field team is in fifth place after four events in the heptathlon at the 2024 Northwest Conference Multi-Event Championships on Monday, April 8. The meet is being hosted by the Bearcats at Charles Bowles Track. Snyder, competing in only her second heptathlon, concluded the first day of the two-day event with an overall score of 2,395.

Snyder's top score of 713 points was achieved in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.01 seconds. She added a score of 689 in the high jump after clearing 5' 1.25". Snyder placed second in the high jump, was fifth in the hurdles and the shot put (29' 9.50"), and was eighth in the 200-meter dash.

Breanne Rawls of Whitworth University led the heptathlon standings with 2,747 points. Her highest score was 799 in the 100-meter hurdles, followed by a score of 795 in the high jump at 5' 5". Rawls won both events before taking third in the shot put and fifth in the 200-meter dash. Elison Jensen of George Fox University was second at 2,711 points, and Breeauna O'Rear of GFU was third at 2,680. Kira Hawaaboo from Linfield University was fourth with 2,613 points, just 18 points in front of Snyder. O'Rear won the shot put at 36' 8.50" and Hawaaboo took first place in the 200-meter dash in 26.17 seconds.

Three other athletes also completed all four events on Monday. Jenna Huntsman from George Fox was sixth overall with 2,326 points, while Emily Brown of GFU owned seventh place at 2,102 points. Courtney Tiernan of Pacific University was eighth with 2,095 points.

Willamette does not have anyone participating in the NWC decathlon, which also began on April 8 at Charles Bowles Track. Blake Smith of George Fox led the decathlon after five events with a score of 3,459 points. Caleb Smith of GFU was second with 3,396 points, and Jalen Martin from Whitworth was third at 3,121. Tom McMillan of George Fox was fourth, just two points behind Martin at 3,119. Daniel Watts of Whitworth was fifth with 3,086 points.

The 2024 NWC Multi-Event Championships will conclude on Tuesday, April 9 with the final three heptathlon events and the last five decathlon events. Action will begin at Charles Bowles Track starting at 11 a.m. PDT.