Willamette Wins Six Events at Pacific Luau, as Evans and Beckmann Set PRs

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- Willamette University track and field athletes won six events during the Pacific Luau on Saturday, April 13 at Hanson Stadium. Two of the winners, Emily Evans (Sr., Anchorage, AK/South Anchorage HS) and Keaton Beckmann (So., Salem, OR/Sprague HS), set personal records. Also winning events for the Bearcats were Hazel Carr (Sr., Seattle, WA/The Northwest School), Hope Duenas (Jr., Covina, CA/Covina HS), Michael Montague (Jr., San Diego, CA/Canyon Crest Academy), and RoShaan Rogers (Gr., Roseville, CA/Woodreek HS).

Evans took first place in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase in 11:36.34. She broke her previous fastest time of 11:40.07, set earlier this spring during the Charles Bowles Celebration of Distance at the Willamette Invitational on March 23. Beckmann won the men's javelin throw on Saturday with a toss of 177' 2", surpassing his previous personal record of 172' 11" at the George Fox University Final Qualifier last spring.

Carr was the winner of the women's 1,500-meter run at Pacific in 4:52.30. She was 3.48 seconds away from her top time of 4:48.82, set at this year's Willamette Invitational. Duenas won the women's discus throw with a top distance of 133' 2".

Montague prevailed in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:33.80. It was his second fastest time as a Bearcat, surpassed only by his 9:29.31 at the 2018 Northwest Conference Championships. Rogers registered first place in the men's 400-meter hurdles in 56.71 seconds. It was Rogers' second best time behind 56.23 seconds at the 2015 Willamette versus Corban Dual.

In addition to winning the women's 1,500, Carr placed fourth in the 800-meter run in 2:22.93, narrowly missing her personal record of 2:22.26 set at the 2018 Willamette Invitational. Duenas, in addition to winning the discus, earned second place in the hammer throw with a season-best toss of 142' 8".

Other Top Performances for Willamette

Connor Giannini (Jr., Veradale, WA/Gonzaga Prep) placed second for the Bearcats in the men's 400-meter dash with a career-best time of 50.15 seconds. His previous top time of 50.25 seconds was set just eight days ago at the John Knight Twilight on April 5. On Saturday at Pacific, Giannini also placed third in the men's 200-meter dash in 22.53 seconds.

Isabel Duxbury (So., Seattle, WA/University Prep) completed a 1-2 finish by the Bearcats in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase, as she took second behind Evans. Duxbury achieved a time of 11:56.00  to set a personal record by 13.86 seconds in her third competitive steeplechase. 

Isabel Solano (Jr./So., Newport, OR/Newport HS) finished second in the women's triple jump. It was Solano's first time competing in the event for Willamette. Her top combined distance was 32' 4.25".

Saige Swan (Jr., Crescent City, CA/Del Norte HS) took third place in the men's shot put at 46' 8.75". Swan was fourth in the hammer throw with a toss of 148' 5".

Keith Carlson (Sr., Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS) placed third out of 16 participants in the men's 1,500-meter run. Carlson's time was 4:08.93.

Kyla Shade (Jr., Snohomish, WA/Snohomish HS) was fifth in the women's 1,500-meter run with a personal best time of 5:02.15. She lowered her best time by exactly seven seconds.

In the men's 100-meter dash, Orion Ewell (Jr., Los Angeles, CA/Cathedral HS) took seventh out of 18 runners with a time of 11.67 seconds.

Up Next for the Bearcats

Willamette's decathletes and heptathletes will compete at the NWC Multi-Event Championships at Linfield College on Monday, April 15 and Tuesday, April 16.

Big Moment of the Meet for Willamette

Emily Evans won the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase
and set a personal record in 11:36.34. She moved into 48th
on the NCAA Division III performance list for this season. Evans
lowered her previous top time of 11:40.07, set at this year's
Willamette Invitational on March 23.