By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

NEWBERG, Ore. -- In his first decathlon competition, Myles Crandall (Fy., Monmouth, OR/Central HS) from the Willamette University men's track and field team registered an overall score of 5,285 as the GFU Final Qualifier ended on Thursday, May 16. Teammate Matthew Nivala (Fy., Salem, OR/West Salem HS), also competing in his first decathlon, finished with 4,664 points.

Crandall achieved four event scores above 600. His top score was 750 points in the 100-meter dash (11.51 seconds). He received 706 points in the 400-meter dash (52.43 seconds), to go with 619 points as he took first place in the 1,500-meter run (4:49.88), and 606 points in the long jump (19' 11.75"). He cleared 10' 2" in his first competition in the pole vault and threw the shot put 31' 11.50".

Nivala's top score was 753 in the 100-meter dash (11.50 seconds) and he added a score of 737 in the 110-meter hurdles (15.96 seconds). He claimed 600 points in the long jump at 19' 10.75" and was credited with 595 points in the 400-meter dash (55.09 seconds).

Other Bearcats competing for the Willamette men's team on Thursday were Simon Kidder (Sr., Bend, OR/Summit HS), Judah Ali'ifua (So., Salem, OR/West Salem HS), Roan Bashioum (Fy., Salem, OR/North HS), Elijah Jones (So., Salem, OR/Central HS), and Kaleb McArthur (So., Independence, OR/Central HS).

Kidder placed second in the 400-meter hurdles in 58.41 seconds. Grady Lemma from Pacific Lutheran University won the race in 57.33 seconds.

Ali-ifua set a personal record of 163' 4" on his throw in the javelin. His previous record was 161' 3" at the Rich Allen Classic on March 16, 2024.

In the hammer throw, Bashioum registered a top distance of 153' 7" to take third place. He was less than three feet out of second place, which went to Nathaniel Koenig of George Fox at 156' 4".

Jones competed in the pole vault and cleared 14' 8". He matched Luke Nelson of GFU, who also cleared 14' 8". Nelson received third place on fewer jumps.

This season Jones is tied for 17th on the NCAA Division III performance list with his top vault of 16' 0.50", which he set recently at the L&C Portland Distance Carnival on May 11. He is likely to be among the 22 competitors selected to compete in the pole vault at the 2024 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

In the long jump, McArthur took second place with a mark of 22' 2.50". Four of his six jumps were at least 21' 3.25".