Kennedy Moves into Ninth on NCAA List with 6,283 Points in Decathlon

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University athlete Carson Kennedy (So., Forest Grove, OR/Forest Grove HS) completed the decathlon with a personal record score of 6,283 points as the West Coast Invitational multi-event competition ended on Friday, May 10. Kennedy moved into ninth on the NCAA Division III performance list.

Bekah Daniel (So., Silverdale, WA/Central Kitsap HS) of Willamette earned a personal record in the heptathlon by attaining a score of 4,364 points, as she advanced from 37th place up into 22nd place on the performance list.

Molly Bond (So., Clarkston, WA/Asotin HS) of Willamette also participated in the heptathlon at the West Coast Invitational multi-event competition. She achieved an overall score of 3,476 points.

Daniel won the heptathlon, while Justine Kueffner from Westminster College (Utah) placed second with 4,166 points. Bond finished third.

Peter Delap from Whitworth took first place in the decathlon with 6,365 points, while Kennedy finished second just 82 points back. Delap advanced from 20th up to fifth on the performance list. Kennedy, who began the day in 13th on the performance list, moved up four spots.

When the performance list closes next week, the top 20 athletes in each men's event and the top 22 athletes in each women's event will qualify for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, set for May 23-25 at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis.

While winning the heptathlon, Daniel set three personal event records. On Friday, she established a new top time in the 800-meter run in 2:30.55, improving on her previous best time of 2:30.97 at this year's NWC Multi-Event Championships. On Thursday, she set personal records in the high jump at 4' 9.75" and in the 200-meter dash at 27.11 seconds.

Daniel registered her top event score of the competition with 805 points in the 100-meter hurdles, as she achieved a time of 15.28 seconds. She scored more than 580 points in five of the seven events. Her overall score moved her from sixth into fifth on Willamette's all-time list in the heptathlon.

Bond earned a new career-best throw of 74' 1.75" in the javelin on Friday. She set a new best time in the 100-meter hurdles on Thursday in 16.06 seconds.

Kennedy set two personal event records during the decathlon. His successful pole vault of 11' 9.75" on Friday increased his top mark by 7.55 inches. On Thursday, he ran his best time in the 100-meter dash at 11.31 seconds, while earning his top event score of the competition with 793 points. He tallied over 650 points in six of the 10 events. His overall score remained 10th on WU's all-time list.

All of the field events and running events in the West Coast Invitational will be held on Saturday, May 11. Field events will start at 1 p.m. (PDT) with the running events starting at 5 p.m.