Kennedy Finishes Second in NWC Decathlon, Daniel is Fifth in Heptathlon

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

PARKLAND, WASH. -- Willamette University track and field athlete Carson Kennedy (So., Forest Grove, OR/Forest Grove HS) finished in second place in the decathlon with a personal record score of 6,190 points, as the 2013 Northwest Conference Multi-Event Championships concluded on Tuesday, April 16 at Pacific Lutheran University.

Kennedy's score ranks 10th on Willamette's all-time list in the decathlon.

Three Bearcats finished in the top eight in the heptathlon, as Bekah Daniel (So., Silverdale, WA/Central Kitsap HS) took fifth with 4,163 points, Elisa Ahern (So., Lake Forest Park, WA/Shorecrest HS) was sixth with 3,684 points, and Molly Bond (So., Clarkston, WA/Asotin HS) was eighth with a personal record of 3,637 points.

Daniel missed matching her personal record by just 15 points. She scored 4,178 at the Bearcat Invitational Multi, hosted by Willamette on March 22-23.

Joe Cerne from the University of Puget Sound won the decathlon title with 6,321 points. Kennedy was 131 points behind Carne and 241 points in front of the third place finisher, Peter Delap of Whitworth University, who scored 5,949. Cameron Brathwaite of Puget Sound was fourth with 5,903 points.

Kennedy placed in the top five of all 10 events, including seven top three finishes. He won the 110-meter hurdles on Tuesday with a time of 16.23 seconds. He tied for first place in the high jump on Monday at 6' 1.5".

In addition, Kennedy performed well in the sprints and the 1,500-meter run. He was third in the 100-meter dash at 11.60 seconds, took second in the 400-meter dash in 51.41 seconds, and was second in the 1,500-meter run in 4:43.43.

Cerne won each of the final four event. He took first place in the discus at 121' 4", won the pole vault by clearing 14' 3.25", prevailed in the javelin with a toss of 177' 6" and wont he 1,500 in 4:41.61.

Beth Stam of George Fox University led a 1-2-3 finish for the Bruins in the heptathlon, as she took first place with 4,347 points. Charity Arn trailed by just six points in second place with 4,341 points. Maria Green was third at 4,263. Christina Dobbins from Whitworth was fourth with 4,184 points.

Daniel placed in the top five in all seven events for Willamette. On Tuesday, she was third in the 800-meter run in 2:30.97, finished fourth in the javelin at 102' 1", and took fifth in the long jump at 16' 4.25".

Winners in the heptathlon's final three events were Stam in the javelin and Dobbins in the long jump and the 800-meter run. Stam threw the javelin 135' 7". Dobbins leaped 17' 0.75" in the long jump and registered a winning time of 2:29.53 in the 800.

Willamette's next competition will be at the Northwest Conference Championships, which the Bearcats will host at the Charles Bowles Track on Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27.