The RiverHawks have continued their stellar opening season for the inuagural indoor track & field season with the NJCAA, as Sanyana Felipe, Ellison Huffman, and Angel Mendoza will join teammates Tarron Metz, Taylor Heie, and Troy Hockett at the Indoor Track & Field National Championships in March.
At the Lew Thorne Invitational Sanyana Felipe ran the 5k on Friday in a solo race in 19:02.99, which converts to 18:53.05 on their 175m flat track. She narrowly missed the qualifying mark, but easily pulled it off two weeks later at the EOU Last Chance Meet. Sanyana ran 18:50.99, converting to 18:41.15 to easily qualify for NJCAA Indoor National Championships.
Ellison Huffman cleared 2.75m/9'0.25ft at the first EOU meet, then competed in an unofficial meet with the Willamette Striders clearing 10ft and 10'6ft, well over the bar and qualifying heights. She is able to get into the NJCAA Indoor National Championships on a white card entry, which will automatically pull her into the meet.
Angel Mendoza, battling a tough cold, was able to compete at the George Fox Indoor #2 meet and cleared 3.90m/13-9.25ft, just barely missing the qualifying height. While he's cleared the height several times in practice, he was also able to get into the NJCAA Indoor National Championship with a white card entry, automatically pulling him into the meet.
At the Lew Thorne Invite all three RiverHawks that have already qualified each bettered their marks in the pole vault. Tarron cleared 4.90m/16-0.75ft to win the event, which broke his own indoor school record and secured his #2 ranking across all NJCAA competitors. Taylor Heie cleared a new personal best of 3.35m/10-11.75ft, this jump ties her for 9th overall in the NJCAA, as she placed second at the meet. Troy Hockett jumped 4.30m/14-1.25ft to bump his mark up a bit and ranking him 11th overall in the NJCAA.
The RiverHawks will head to Texas Tech University in Lubbock to compete at the NJCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championships. All of events for the Hawks will happen on Friday, March 7th, followed by awards on Saturday afternoon.
Go Hawks!
