By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
EUGENE, Ore. -- Oliver Anderson (Sr., Salem, OR/Home Schooled) of Willamette University won the men's triple jump at the Oregon Twilight on Friday, May 5 at Hayward Field. Anderson led the way as a total of seven Bearcats competed during the meet.
Anderson's winning mark in the triple jump was 44' 9.5". He won by 3.5 inches over Nathan Fields from Bushnell University, who took second place out of seven competitors at 44' 6". Anderson's winning distance was less than five inches away from his career-best of 45' 2.25" set at the NWC Championships on April 22.
Sami Riggs (Sr., La Verne, CA/Bonita HS) was fourth out of eight competitors in a talented field in the women's 400-meter dash, as she finished the race in 58.47 seconds. The race was won by Shana Grebo from the University of Oregon in 52.95 seconds. Grebo was followed by Alexandra Telford of the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club in second place at 55.46 seconds and by Oregon runner Jordyn Blake in third place at 56.80 seconds.
The seven events involving Willamette featured small numbers of entries, but the Bearcats and nearly all of their opponents were strong contenders within their own conferences and national organizations.
Zoe Heino (Fy., Portland, OR/Mountainside HS) was third in a small field in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 11:12.85. Her time was about a second away from her career-best of 11:11.84, which she set at the NWC Championships. Sage Martin from the College of Idaho won the steeplechase at the Oregon Twilight in 10:23.11 and Danielle Hotalling of Creighton University (Nebraska) was second in 10:30.21.
In the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase, William Hennum (Jr., Henderson, NV/Liberty HS/SW Oregon CC) of Willamette placed fourth in another small field, as he earned a time of 10:00.62. Brendan Mulvany from Santa Clara University (Calif.) took first place in 9:33.61, and Brycen Brown from Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho) placed second in 9:41.48.
Mashani Coleman Toliver (Fy., Bellevue, WA/Sammamish HS) of WU finished seventh in the women's 400-meter hurdles at 1:05.90. She was 0.33 away from her career-best time of 1:05.57 at the NWC Championships.
Annabelle Smith (Fy., Blissfield, MI/Blissfield HS) placed eighth in the women's long jump for the Bearcats. Her top distance was 16' 6".
In the women's high jump, Whitley Stepp (Fy., Silverton, OR/Regis HS) from Willamette was tied with two other jumpers for the sixth-best height at 5' 3.25". Stepp placed eighth behind the other two competitors on jumps. Tori Sloan of Oregon won the event at 5' 7.25".
The Bearcats are scheduled to compete at the Linfield Open and the Portland Twilight on Saturday, April 6. The Linfield Open is set to begin at 10 a.m. (PDT) in McMinnville, Oregon. The Portland Twilight will be hosted by Lewis & Clark College, with action slated to start at 3:30 p.m.
