ELLENSBURG, Wash.- The Central Washington University track and field team will stay relatively close to home this week as they travel to Bellingham, Wash. to compete at the 37th Annual Ralph Vernacchia Meet on Saturday.
 
THOUGHTS FROM COACH ADKISSON
"We are definitely excited to get back with the whole squad," CWU head coach Kevin Adkisson stated. "It should be a very strong week for us as we continue to move into peak form. We hope to get better weather than we did the last time our full squad competed. Our athletes are definitely excited as they know they are getting into that do-or-die timeframe for those still trying to achieve conference marks. This is typically a pretty solid meet and is definitely one that we know will provide good opportunities. Our coaches have really stressed the importance of mental focus this week as we hope to take advantage of this weekend's opportunity."
 
MEET INFORMATION
The meet is scheduled to start with field events at 9 am and track events at 10:30 am, continuing throughout the day until approximately 5 pm.
 
WWU's home track & field facility, Civic Stadium, is located at the Civic Athletic Complex (1445 Puget Street) in Bellingham, an eight minute drive from the WWU campus. Admission to the meet will be $8 for adults and $5 for WWU students, faculty, staff and seniors (60+). A complimentary program will be distributed as well.
 
Results from the meet will be uploaded via HTML links to WWUVikings.com/2018Vernacchia as soon as possible after completion of each event throughout the day. Results can be accessed during the day and compiled results will be available online upon completion of the meet.
 
LANDIS NAMED GNAC FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Senior Kodiak Landis was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Men's Field Athlete of the Week after he moved up to No. 3 on the GNAC All-Time List and set a CWU record in the decathlon at the Bryan Clay Invitational, the league office announced Monday.
 
Landis placed second in group three of the competition with a score of 7,187 points, a total which ranks No. 3 on the GNAC All-Time List. In the process, Landis won both the 100 meters (10.74) and the 400 meters (47.87). His time in the 400 meters is No. 6 on the GNAC All-Time List while his mark of 23 feet, 11 inches, in the long jump is No. 10 on the GNAC All-Time List.
 
Landis has now received GNAC Player of the Week recognition three times this season. He was also named the GNAC Field Athlete of the Week on Jan. 29 and Dec. 4.
 
CLIMBING THE GNAC LADDER
Following this past weekend of competition, several members of the CWU track and field team rank in the top-10 in GNAC history for their respective events.
 
Sophomore Erykah Weems represented the Wildcats in the 400-meter hurdles at the Long Beach State Invitational. Weems recorded a two second PR (1:00.77) to place 11th overall and now sits second on the CWU all-time list and fifth in the GNAC record book. Weems is accompanied by senior Ali Anderson on the GNAC list, who ranks sixth with a season-best time of 1:00.95.
Junior Alexa Shindruk shattered her own school record in the 10,000-meter by over 61 seconds at the Mt. SAC Relays. Shindruk finished ninth overall after crossing the finish line in a new school record time of 34:57.08. Her time is the seventh fastest time in GNAC history.
 
Sophomore Halle Irvine also set a new outdoor personal best in the pole vault at the Long Beach State Invitational after clearing a height of 12 feet, 3.50 inches to finish 38th overall. This mark now ranks seventh in the history of the GNAC.
 
Brooke Williams leads the GNAC this season in the triple jump (39 feet, 4 inches) and ranks seventh all-time.
 
In addition to ranking second in the decathlon, senior Kodiak Landis also ranks sixth in GNAC history in the 400-meter dash with a season-best time of 47.87 seconds.
 
UP NEXT
Several Wildcats who compete in the multi-events for CWU will travel to Nampa, Idaho on April 30 to compete at the GNAC Combined Events.
 
-CWU-