By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

NEWBERG, Ore. -- Elijah Jones (Fy, Salem, OR/Central HS) won the men's pole vault, Whitley Stepp (Fy., Silverton, OR/Regis HS) took first place in the women's high jump, and Oliver Anderson (Sr., Salem, OR/Home Schooled) placed first in the men's triple jump on the first day of the Portland Distance Carnival on Friday, May 12. In addition to winning the pole vault with a personal record mark of 15' 6.25", Jones moved into second place on Willamette's all-time list behind Allen Heinly, who vaulted 16' 0" for the Bearcats in 1995. The winning pole vault by Jones improved his national ranking to 34th in NCAA Division III. 

Friday's schedule featured the field events, which were held at George Fox University in Newberg. On Saturday, the track events in the Portland Distance Carnival will take place at the Eldon Fix Track on the Lewis & Clark College campus, starting at 4 p.m. (PDT).

Stepp continued her success in the women's high jump by clearing 5' 4.25" to win the event. She has consistently been between 5' 3" and her personal record of 5' 6" for most of the season. She is currently part of a seven-way tie for eighth place on the NCAA Division III performance list. The top 22 athletes in the high jump when the regular season ends on May 18 will qualify for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, set for May 25-28 at the Polisseni Track and Field Complex in Rochester, New York.

Anderson won the triple jump on Friday with a top distance of 45' 7". On five of his six attempts he recorded a distance between 45' 2.5" and 45' 7", and he had one foul. Anderson has been consistent this spring and set his personal record of 45' 10.5" at the Pacific Open on April 1.

On Saturday, Willamette will be represented by five athletes. Bearcats competing on the track will be Anderson in the men's 100-meter dash, Katherine Thornton (Jr., Reno, NV/Reno HS) in the women's 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles, Sami Riggs in the 400-meter dash, Zoe Heino (Fy., Portland, OR/Mountainside HS) in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase, and William Hennum (Jr., Henderson, NV/Liberty HS/SW Oregon CC) in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase.