Bearcats Prepare for Last Chance Meets in Track and Field

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

SALEM, Ore. -- Six athletes from the Willamette University track and field teams will compete in last chance meets this week with the selection of national qualifiers just a few days away. Two Bearcats will compete in field events at the GFU NCAA Final Qualifier on Thursday, May 14 and four WU athletes will run at the Gregory Invitational at North Central College (Illinois) on Friday, May 15.

Tyler Higley (Sr., Aloha, OR/Aloha HS) will throw the shot put for Willamette at the GFU Final Qualifier. His personal record mark of 50' 6" this past weekend at Linfield College is ranked 50th on the NCAA Division III performance list.

Also at GFU, Meka Townsend (Jr., Okanogan, WA/Okanogan HS) will participate in the javelin throw. Townsend recorded her top throw of the season, 133' 6", at the NWC Championships, which were hosted by George Fox. Townsend is 29th on the NCAA list.

All four Bearcats enters in the Gregory Invitational will compete on Friday in a session that begins at 4:45 p.m. CDT/2:45 p.m. PDT.

Daniel Swanson (Sr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) is entered in the men's 1,500-meter run, while Olivia Mancl (So./Fr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) and Hannah Swanson (Fr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) will run in the women's 1,500. Hannah Bressler (Jr., Oak Harbor, WA/Oak Harbor HS) will represent Willamette in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Mancl is listed at 24th on the NCAA performance list in the 1,500. Her best time of 4:34.64 was recorded at the OSU High Performance Meet on May 1. Hannah Swanson is 48th in the 1,500 at 4:38.04, which she earned at OSU.

Bressler holds 21st place in NCAA Division III in the steeplechase with a top time of 10:59.31. She attained her time at the Willamette vs. Corban Dual on March 19.