Colignon Holds Second after First Day of NWC Decathlon

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

FOREST GROVE, ORE. -- Willamette University track and field athlete Evin Colignon (Jr., Poulsbo, WA/Charles Wright Academy) is in second place after the first day of the decathlon at the Northwest Conference Multi-Event Championships on Monday, April 12 at Lincoln Park Stadium.

Brandi Miller (So., Grants Pass, OR/North Valley HS) of Willamette was in third place in the heptathlon following the first day's events.

During Monday's five events in the decathlon, Colignon scored 3,389 points. He trailed only Jeremy Lovell of Linfield, who accumulated 3,594 points. Cody Stelzer of Whitworth University was in third with 3,220 points.

Lovell won the 100-meter dash in 11.36 seconds and also took first in the long jump at 22'0.25". He placed second in two events and was third in one event.

Colignon won the shot put with a personal-record throw of 46'2.50". He was third in both the long jump and the high jump, and finished fourth in the 100-meter dash. His 100-meter time of 11.64 seconds was just 0.04 out of second place.

Other event winners in the decathlon were Stelzer in the high jump and Colin Alexander from Pacific Lutheran University in the 400-meter dash. Stelzer cleared an NCAA provisional qualifying height of 6'9.50" in the high jump. Alexander took first place in the 400 with a time of 49.93 seconds.

Miller achieved 2,431 points in the four heptathlon events held on Monday. Caitlin McGrane from the University of Puget Sound held first place with 2,662 points and Melissa Leighty from George Fox University was second with 2,534 points.

McGrane took first in the 100-meter hurdles, as she reached the finish line in 15.21 seconds, She placed second in the 200-meter dash in 26.19 seconds and was third in the shot put. Miller placed second in the 100-meter hurdles in 15.85 seconds and tied for third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 26.87 seconds.

Leighty and George Fox teammate Beth Stam tied for first place in the high jump after successfully clearing 5'0.50". Stam won the shot put with a distance of 34'7.75" and Liska Havel of Lewis & Clark College won the 200-meter dash in 25.94 seconds.

The NWC Multi-Event Championships, which are being hosted by Pacific University, will conclude on Tuesday, April 13. Results from the Multi-Events will be included in the overall team scoring at the Northwest Conference Championships, set for April 23-24 in Spokane, Wash.