SEATTLE, Wash. – The Seattle University track and field team is headed to Orem, Utah for the Great West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, hosted by Utah Valley University on May 12-14.
The Redhawks will be competing against UVU, who is the favorite to win both men’s and women’s titles, as well as South Dakota, Chicago State, Houston Baptist, NJIT, North Dakota, and Texas-Pan American.
Headed into the championships, Dylan Burnett (Lynnwood, Wash.) is ranked first in the GWC in the javelin with his school record throw of 63.49 meters (208-4), which is more than six meters farther than his nearest ranked competitor. Michael Van Nuland (Newcastle, Wash.) is ranked second in the 3000 meter steeplechase after setting a school record time of 9:28.97. Kelton Sears (Maple Valley, Wash.), whose best time this season was 9:52.79, is ranked sixth.
Bo Anderson’s (Tacoma, Wash.) school record of 14.81 meters (48-7.25) in the shot put garnered him a sixth-place ranking in the GWC. Josh Walters (Sacramento, Calif.), who holds the school record in the hammer throw (43.5m), is also ranked sixth heading into the championships.
Emily Walters (Olympia, Wash.) is ranked third in the long jump (5.56m), and fifth in the triple jump (10.99m), and also set a school record in the 100 meter hurdles in 15.13, each of which she will be competing in over the next couple of days. Rachel Purcell (Mission Viejo, Calif.) broke the 200 meter dash (26.29) and 400 meter dash (58.13) records, as well as ran the second leg of the 4x100 meter relay team (49.00).
In other rankings, Ariel Johnson (Moscow, Idaho) holds fourth place in the pole vault with a height of 3.45 meters (11-3.75). Dan Auld (Eugene, Ore.) is sitting fifth in the 800 meter run with a time of 1: 55.23, and Brandan Haggarty (Missoula, Mont.) is sixth in the javelin with a throw of 51.99 meters (170-7).
The Redhawks have broken 14 school records to date, some more than once, and ten of which occurred on the women’s side.
The meet will begin at 3 p.m. (MT) at UVU’s Hal Wing Track & Field on Thursday, and will culminate with the award ceremony at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 14.