Senior Maddie Taylor set the WWU record in the high jump clearing 1.74m/5-8.5 on Saturday. PHOTO: Courtesy of WWU Athletics
WWU's Taylor Breaks High Jump Record
March 17, 2019
WEST SEATTLE, Wash. – Western Washington University senior high jumper Maddie Taylor broke a 35-year-old school record to highlights the Vikings performances at the Doris Heritage Track Festival on Saturday at West Seattle Stadium.
A week after placing 11th at the NCAA II Indoor Championships to earn Second Team All-America honors, Smith made her outdoor season debut by clearing 1.74m/5-8.5 to record the best mark in NCAA II this season and achieve an NCAA II provisional mark. She broke one of the longest standing records in WWU outdoor history previously set by Kristy Dees at 1.73m/5-8.25 in 1984. Taylor’s new PR is also tied for 5th-best in Great Northwest Athletic Conference history.
Taylor’s high jump performance was one of eight victories for the Vikings in the third outdoor meet of the 2019 season.
» Maddie Taylor – High Jump (1.74m/5-8.5) – School Record, NCAA II Provisional, T5th in GNAC history
» Talia Dreicer – 3,000m Steeplechase (11:32.96) – 9th in WWU history
» Savannah Smith – 400m (56.96)
» Cooper McNatt – Javelin (59.70m/195-10) – NCAA II Provisional
» Cordell Cummings – 110m Hurdles (14.92) – PR, 9th in WWU history
» Ethan Sterkel – Long Jump (6.94m/22-9.25)
» Ben Malquist – Shot Put (14.89m/48-10.25)
» Men’s 4x400m – 3:17.62
Results from the men’s and women’s triple jump, and the women’s pole vault have not been entered into the final results system and will be included in this release when they become available.
McNATT RECORDS PROVISIONAL MARK
Sophomore Cooper McNatt won the javelin competition and recorded an NCAA II provisional mark of 59.70m/195-10. His mark should register in the top 10 in NCAA Division II following his performance on Saturday.
DREICER MAKES STEEPLE DEBUT
Sophomore Talia Dreicer made her debut in the 3,000m Steeplechase and won the event in a time of 11:32.96 for the 9th-fastest time in WWU outdoor history. Junior Peyton Shinnick placed 2nd in 11:46.96, just outside of the all-time WWU top 10.
HURDLERS IN MIDSEASON FORM
Junior Cordell Cummings won the 110m Hurdles in a personal-best time of 14.92, remaining 9th in the WWU all-time top 10. Freshman Koby Okezie finished 2nd in the event in 14.95 to move into 10th in WWU history.
UP NEXT
The Vikings will take next week off for final exams and return to competition the weekend of March 28-31 at the Mike Fanelli Track Classic in Hayward, CA and the UBC Open in Vancouver, BC.
HOME MEETS IN BELLINGHAM
WWU will again host two home events, beginning with the WWU Team Invitational on April 5 and the Ralph Vernacchia Track & Field Meet on April 27. Both home events will be held at Civic Stadium in Bellingham.
JAVELIN U
WWU's long tradition in the javelin includes recent women’s national champions Monika Gruszecki (2007 & 2011) and Bethany Drake (2014 & 2017), four-time First Team All-American Katie Reichert (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016) and current Viking Raquel Pellecer who was a First Team All-American last season.
For the men, Alex Harrison (2010), Slater Hirst (2014, 2015), John Haskin (2014, 2016) and Alex Barry (2018) have all been javelin All-Americans for the WWU men in the last nine years.
-- WWU Track & Field --
