Four Bearcats Receive All-West Region Honors in Track and Field

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Four members of the Willamette University track and field teams have received All-West Region honors for the 2019 season as announced by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Selections from the Willamette men's team were Keaton Beckmann (So., Salem, OR/Sprague HS) in the decathlon, javelin, long jump and 110-meter hurdles, Keith Carlson (Sr., Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS) in the 5,000-meter run, and Saige Swan in the shot put. Hope Duenas (Jr., Covina, CA/Covina HS) from the Bearcat women's team was named All-West Region in the discus.

In order to receive All-Region honors an athlete had to be ranked in the top five of an individual event or compete on one of the top three teams in a relay event.

Duenas received All-West Region honors in the discus for the third year in a row. Beckmann was named All-West Region for the second time in the decathlon and Swan was chosen All-West Region for the second consecutive season in the shot put. Carlson was chosen All-West Region for the first time. In addition, Duenas was All-West Region in the hammer throw in 2018 and Swan was All-West Region in the discus in 2018.

All-West Region Track and Field

Keaton Beckmann (So.) achieved a career-best decathlon score of 6,516 points at the 2019 Bearcat Invitational Multi on May 8 at Charles Bowles Track to rank third in the West Region and 11th in NCAA Division III. He qualified to compete at the 2019 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the decathlon.

In addition, he is third in the West Region in the long jump at 22' 11.75", fifth in the West Region in the javelin throw at 183' 0", and fifth in the West Region in the 110-meter hurdles at 15.30 seconds. On Willamette's all-time lists, he is seventh in the long jump and eighth in the decathlon.

He finished the 2018 season ranked 22nd on the NCAA Division III performance list in the decathlon. His top score last year was 6,236.

This spring, Beckmann placed second in the Northwest Conference in the long jump (22' 4.24"), third in the javelin throw (183' 0") and third as part of Willamette's 4 x 400-meter relay team (3:26.39). In 2018, he was chosen All-NWC Men's Track and Field Freshman of the Year, after placing third in the long jump (22' 6"), third in the 400-meter dash (49.75 seconds) and fifth in the decathlon (5,974).

Keith Carlson (Sr.) registered a personal record time of 14:27.27 in the 5,000-meter run at the Portland Twilight on May 3. He qualified for the NCAA Championships by ranking 19th on the national performance list. He is ranked third in the West Region.

At this year's NWC Championships, Carlson won the 5,000 for the Bearcats. He place second in the NWC in the men's 10,000-meter run in 2018 and was 4th in the men's 5,000-meter run in 2017.

Carlson competed at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships three times (2015, 2017, 2018). He helped Willamette win NWC men's cross country team titles in 2015, 2016 and 2017. He placed second in the individual standings at the NWC Championships in cross country in 2017 and 2018.

Hope Duenas (Jr.) qualified for the NCAA Championships this spring with a personal record throw of 148' 11" in the discus. She recorded her top mark at the West Coast Invitational on May 11. She ranks first in the West Region, is second on Willamette's all-time list and is 11th on this year's NCAA Division III performance list.  She has earned  first place at six meets this season.

She also qualified for the 2018 NCAA Championships in the discus. She placed 20th in the nation.

Duenas won this year's Northwest Conference discus title with a top throw of 147' 6". She also won the NWC discus championship in 2018 and was third in 2017. She placed third in the NWC in the hammer throw in 2019.

Saige Swan (Jr.) earned a top mark of 47' 6.5" in the shot put this season at the Willamette vs. Corban Dual on March 14. He is fifth on the West Region performance list.

He won the NWC title in the shot put in 2018 with a personal record toss of 49' 9.25". He was second at the NWC Championships this season at 47' 6.25".

Swan received All-West Region honors in two events a year ago. He ranked third in the West Region in the shot put with his personal record throw and tied for fourth in the discus at 148' 4".

Up Next for the Bearcats

Beckmann, Carlson and Duenas will compete at the NCAA Championships at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio, from Thursday, May 23 through Saturday, May 25. Duenas will participate in the women's discus throw on Thursday, while Beckmann will compete in the decathlon on Thursday and Friday, and Carlson will participate in the 5,000-meter run on Saturday.