WWU women are ranked No. 7 and men No. 8 in the first DII Outdoor Track & Field Rating Index. PHOTO: WWU Athletics
WWU Track & Field Teams Ranked in National Top-10
March 19, 2019
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – It might be early in the outdoor season, but the Western Washington University Track & Field program is putting up great early-season results to earn national top 10 rankings by both the men’s and women’s teams in the first NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Team Rating Index of the season, announced Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
The WWU women’s team is ranked No. 7 in the nation, while the men are also in the national top 10 at No. 8. Both teams are ranked highest among schools from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and are the highest team rankings for the Vikings since 2015 for the men (#6 in Week 1) and 2016 for the women (#6 in Week 2).
The National Rating Index takes into account all performances posted so far this outdoor season and uses a point system to then rank those performances against each other, which then are combined to give a final team score.
On the women’s side 11 Vikings have marks within the top 15 in the nation through the first three outdoor meets of the season. Senior high jumper Maddie Taylor has the top mark in the country among NCAA II athletes clearing 1.74m/5-8.5. WWU also has four javelin throwers in the top 15, led by junior Raquel Pellecer (47.31m/155-2.75) at No. 2 and freshman Paige Shimkus (46.34m/152.25).
The men’s team has 14 marks within the top 15 nationally, with senior pole vaulter J.T. Konrad having the 6th-best mark at 4.70m/15-5 and sophomore Cooper McNatt recording the 7th-best mark in the javelin at 59.70m195-10.5. A trio of Vikings also have recorded top 5 marks in the 10,000m (out of 59 ranked), with senior Jadon Olson at No. 3 at 31:23.74.
UP NEXT
The Vikings are taking this 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.
-- WWU Track & Field --
