By: Cody Wright
SPOKANE, Wash. – The Whitworth track and field teams wrapped up the 2026 Indoor season with another standout meet at the Whitworth Indoor Invite hosted by the Pirates on Friday and Saturday at the Podium.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Bucs have set a new school record at each indoor meet of the season.
Today's record setters were Emily Brown and London Haley. Brown placed sixth in the 400m in 56.56 seconds, good for 17th in NCAA Division III and a new personal best. Haley set a school record in the 3,000m (invite) with a time of 8:36.38 en route to a fifth-place finish and another PR.
Jayce Palm continued his strong indoor season with an event win in the men's Heptathlon, finishing first in the 60m, high jump, and pole vault.
On the track, Cooper Rolfs took home fifth place in the 400m with a time of 49.82. Jack Ireton set a new PR in the mile (4:20.07) in a seventh-place finish and Tom Mckee PR'd (9:12.22) in the 3,000m (collegiate).
On the women's side, Hannah Higgens (11:31.53), Jacquelyn Oelke (11:37.34), Kezlie Thygesen (10:29.44), and Madilyn Danaraj (10:52.04) in top ten finishes in both 3,000m races.
In the field events, the Whitworth women went 1-2-3 in the shot put. Madison Carr placed first (46-7.25"), Amblessed Okemgbo placed second (46'-4.75") and Kylie Loveless placed third (44'-0.5").
Carr led the Pirate women with a second-place finish in the weight throw (50'-2.5"). Devyn Chelin PR'd in the same event with a throw of 46'-4.25".
Shaloma McCay impressed in the triple jump with a distance of 36'-2.75", good for second place and cracked the top 65 in NCAA DIII. Cadence Lorenz (34'-0.75"), Madeleine Froese (33'-10.25), and Mallory Elliott (33'-1.75") finished fourth, sixth and seventh respectively behind McCay.
Claire Nardella and Evie Bradbury placed fourth and fifth in the pole vault with equal heights of 10'-8.75".
On the men's side, three Pirates finished top three in shot put. Eddie Vu finished third (48'-3.25"), Kenai Herrick finished sixth (47'-10.0"), and Austin Read finished ninth (46'-9").
Na'i Kaanapu took home third place in the men's triple jump (42'-9.5") and Kaden Hooper also finished third in the long jump (21'-11.75").
Several Bucs will likely compete at the NCAA DIII Indoor Championships on March 13th in Birmingham, Alabama. In the meantime, Whitworth will begin its outdoor season on February 27th when they host the Whitworth Early Bird meet at the Pine Bowl.
