McGee leads EWU track and field at Vandal Indoor Invitational

The Eastern Washington University track and field teams continued their success in the second indoor meet of the year at the Vandal Indoor Invitational on Friday and Saturday (Jan. 11-12). 

"It was good to see everyone competing," head coach Marcia Mecklenburg said. "The performance of the meet on the women's side was Dominique Butler's school record and win in the pentathlon yesterday." 

For the Eagle women, senior Justean Landis took first in the weight throw with a toss of 53 feet, 7 inches while Samantha Raines took second in the pole vault with a clearance of 12 feet, 5 1/2 inches.

The Eagles made it a sweep in the weight throw with Madison Doepker second at 53-3 3/, Pairs Flenoy third at 52-7 1/2 and sophomore Vernice Keyes fourth at 50-8 1/4.

In the running events, freshman Ashley Herrera placed eighth in the 60-meters. Freshman Ami Njadoe placed sixth in the 200-meters with a time of 26.68 seconds.

The men took the top four spots in the triple jump, led by junior Keshun McGee with a mark of 51-1. McGee went on to take another title in the long jump with a jump of 24-1.

"The whole team being in action was great," head coach Stan Kerr said. "Led by Keshun's wins in the triple and long jump with national caliber marks, several team members followed his lead and posted PR's of their own."

Also taking first was Medical Lake alum Dawson Lack, who crossed the finish line in the 60 meters in 6.97 seconds. Isaac Barville was first in the mile run in a time of 4:15.98.

"Dawson Lack had his hands full in winning the 60m, but shined in his final winning by the narrowest of margins," Kerr said. "Tactically strong, Isaac Barville's one-mile race in 4:15.9 showed he's ready to do battle at the conference level."

Mecklenburg had praise for her throwers as well.

"It was great to sweep the top three spots in the women's weight throw, and with that, Justean Landis won her first collegiate meet," she said. "The youngsters came through in the short sprints and hurdles with two freshman, Alyssa Hoffman and Ami Nodji, making it to the finals of the 60 hurdles and a third freshman, Ashley Herrera, making it to the finals in the 60." 

Eastern's indoor track and field season continues this weekend with the two-day (Jan. 18-19) Washington State University Indoor Open in Pullman.