Several Top Bearcats Compete for Willamette at George Fox Final Qualifier

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

NEWBERG, Ore. -- Some of Willamette University's top track and field athletes -- Katherine Thornton (Jr., Reno, NV/Reno HS), Zoe Heino (Fy., Portland, OR/Mountainside HS), Oliver Anderson (Sr., Salem, OR/Home Schooled), and Elijah Jones (Fy, Salem, OR/Central HS) -- competed at the George Fox Final Qualifier on Thursday, May 18. All of the WU athletes earned marks near their season bests, extending a trend of consistency over the past few weeks. Even so, they were unable to improve their marks to move up the NCAA Division III performance list.

Final qualifiers throughout the nation were the last chance for NCAA Division III track and field competitors to qualify for national competition this year. The NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held on May 25-27 at the Polisseni Track and Field Complex in Rochester, New York. The top 22 athletes in each event will qualify for the championships.

Whitley Stepp (Fy., Silverton, OR/Regis HS) of Willamette, who is tied for 11th on the performance list in the women's high jump, did not compete at George Fox on Thursday. She was already in a strong position to be selected as a national qualifier.

The number of competitors in each event was small, but most of them were trying to improve their marks in order to qualify for nationals. Others were working to maintain solid marks from earlier in the season.

Thornton won the women's 100-meter hurdles and the women's 400-meter hurdles. She was unopposed in the 100 hurdles and was one of two athletes in the 400 hurdles. Thornton finished the 100 hurdles in 15.21 seconds for her sixth time at 15.43 or faster this year. Her career best was 15.16 seconds at the Oregon State High Performance on April 28.

In the 400 hurdles, Thornton registered a time of 1:05.98. It was her second time under 1:06 and her fourth time under 1:07 this year. Her personal record was 1:05.67 at the OSU High Performance. On Thursday, she edged out Emily Rutkowski of Pacific University, who was second in 1:06.13.

Heino took first place out of three runners in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 11:12.92. Her time was very close to her career best of 11:11.84 at the 2023 Northwest Conference Championships on April 21. She has recorded six times under 11:25 this year, including three results under 11:13.

Anderson was the winner in the men's triple jump, as he competed against Camden VandenHoek of George Fox. Anderson registered a distance of 44' 6.75". VandenHoek's top mark was 42' 5.50".

Earlier this season, Anderson set his personal record of 45' 10.5" at the Pacific Open on April 1. He has earned a combined distance over 44' 6" at a total of five meets this spring, with many attempts above 45' 0".

Jones finished in a tie for second in the men's pole vault on Thursday. He successfully vaulted 14' 6", which matched the top mark for Zeke Sikkema of George Fox. Levi Gibson from GFU won the event at 15' 5.75." Jones, whose personal record vault was 15' 6.25" at the Portland Distance Carnival on May 12, has topped 14' 4" or higher at five meets this year.

Prior to Thursday's competition, Jones was ranked 34th in NCAA Division III in the men's pole vault and Heino was 42nd in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase. Anderson was listed at 59th in the men's triple jump. Thornton was ranked 81st in the women's 400-meter hurdles and was 95th in the women's 100-meter hurdles.