Stepp Finishes First Twice as Bearcats Win Eight Events at Willamette Opener

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Whitley Stepp (Fy., Silverton, OR/Regis HS) of Willamette University won the women's high jump and the women's triple jump as the Bearcats had eight total wins at the Willamette Opener in track and field on Saturday, March 4 at the Charles Bowles Track.

In the women's high jump, Stepp won the event by clearing 5' 4.25" as she moved into sixth place on Willamette's all-time list. The height was 1/4-inch short of fifth place at Willamette, co-held at 5' 4.5" by Taylor Ottomano in 2014 and by Shannon Baird in 1986.

On Saturday at the Willamette Opener, Stepp was followed by unattached athlete Alison Wood in second place at 5' 2.25". Nora Wade (Fy., San Diego, CA/Point Loma HS) took third place for the Bearcats at 4' 8.25".

Stepp earned first place in the women's triple jump with a combined distance of 32' 10.25". Wade finished in second with a top mark of 32' 1."

In addition to Stepp, event winners from Willamette were Elijah Jones (Fy., Salem, OR/Central HS) in the men's pole vault, Kenzie Lee (Fy., Kaneohe, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) in the women's 400-meter dash, Grace Kosmicki (Fy., Pocatello, ID/Highland HS) in the women's 800-meter run, Zoe Heino (Fy., Portland, OR/Mountainside HS) in the women's 5,000-meter run, Katherine Thornton (Jr., Reno, NV/Reno HS) in the women's 100-meter hurdles, and David Teso (Fy., Benson, AZ/Benson HS) in the men's discus throw.

Jones won the men's pole vault by clearing 13' 5.25" on his first attempt at that height. Lee took first place in the women's 400-meter dash in 1:02.31, while Kosmicki prevailed in a very close finish in the women's 800-meter run with a time of 2:35.10. Katie Wingo (Fy., White Rock, N.M./Los Alamos HS) of WU was second at 2:35.77 and Keaton Ibendahl from the University of Oregon Running Club was third at 2:35.85.

Heino grabbed first place in the women's 5,000-meter run with a time of 18:54.21. She won by 47.42 seconds over Avery Hackenberg from the U of O Running Club, who placed second at 19:41.63. Aven Roberts (Fy., Missoula, MT/Hellgate HS) of Willamette took third place in 19:54.60 and Anna Bikle (Fy., Woodside, CA/Half Moon Bay HS) of WU followed in fourth place at 19:55.69. In the women's 100-meter hurdles, Thornton's winning time for the Bearcats was 16.07 seconds. Teso won the men's discus with a toss of 106' 4".

Thornton added a fourth place finish in the women's 400-meter hurdles. Madeline Lambing from Western Oregon University won the event in 1:06.33. The next three finishers were from Willamette and were separated from each other by less than one minute. Clara Thomas (Fy., Kennewick, WA/Kamiakin HS) was second in 1:11.04, with Mashani Coleman Toliver (Fy., Bellevue, WA/Sammamish HS) in third at 1:11.32, and Thornton in fourth at 1:11.91.

Other Top Men's Results for Willamette

Jay Chew (Fy., Elk Grove, CA/Laguna Creek HS) took fourth place in the 5,000-meter run. His time was 15:46.12. The top three places went to athletes from the U of O Running Club, led by Owen Serricchio in first place with a time of 14:48.09. Emmett Saulnier was second in 14:48.91 and Makato Yoshihara was third in 15:42.10.

Simon Kidder (Jr., Bend, OR/Summit HS) was fourth in the 400-meter hurdles in 59.24 seconds. Brock Nelson from the U of O Running Club won the event in 56.05 seconds.

Kaleb McArthur (Fy., Independence, OR/Central HS) placed third in the triple jump with a top mark of 42' 4.25" and Oliver Anderson (Sr., Salem, OR/Home Schooled) was fourth with a leap of 41' 5.25". Oliver Reis from Mount Hood Community College won the triple jump at 46' 6.75". Willie Tran, also from Mount Hood CC, was second at 42' 8.75".

In the shot put, Eric Kaszycki (Sr., Santee, CA/Santana HS) registered a throw of 36' 2.25" to place fifth. He was 3.25" out of fourth place.

Parker Callander (Fy., Renton, WA/Kentridge HS) placed second in the hammer throw. He recorded a toss of 107' 3". 

Other Top Women's Results for Willamette

Anabelle Smith was second in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.68 seconds. Maya Hopwood from Western Oregon won the race in 12.44 seconds, while Josie Lavato of WOU was third in 12.91 seconds.

Wingo finished second in the pole vault at 7' 6.50". Leah Nastri of Corban University won the event at 8' 2.50".

Abigail House (Jr., Oakland, OR/Oakland HS) was third in the shot put with a toss of 32' 4.25". She was 1.75" out of second place, which went to Madilyn Kleiber from Corban at 33' 6".

In the discus throw, Avery Mickelsen (Grad., Ephrata, WA/Ephrata HS) took third place at 96' 10". In the hammer throw, Leanne Machado (Sr., Pendleton, OR/Pendleton HS) placed second at 117' 8", while Tenley Grant (So., Longview, WA/Kelso HS) was third at 114' 7", and Mickelsen was fourth at 114' 4".

Team Standings

Willamette took first place in the men's team standings with 165 points. Corban was second with 78 points and Mount Hood CC placed third at 71 points. Western Oregon was fourth at 56 and the U of O Running Club placed fifth with 29 points.

In the women's team standings, Mount Hood CC was first with 99 points and Willamette was second with 80 points. The U of O Running Club finished third with 75 points, Western Oregon and Corban tied for fourth at 72, and the Cascadia Elite club was sixth with 10 points.

Up Next for Willamette

The Bearcats will compete at the Lane Community College Open on Saturday, March 11 in Eugene, Oregon. Field events will start at 9 a.m. (PST) with track events starting at 11 a.m.