The EWU track and field team traveled back to Dempsey Indoor Center on Jan. 30 and 31 to compete in the University of Washington Invitational.

Head men’s track and field coach Stan Kerr told goeags.com how proud he was of the team’s performance in Seattle.

“I felt this meet delivered several quality performances,” said Kerr. “It also served up lessons in being ready to compete at a high level.”

Head women’s track and field coach Marcia Mecklenburg spoke with goeags.com about a few of the team’s highlights.

“The [University of Washington] Invitational turned out great for us. Overall, it was another opportunity for good competition and we took advantage of it,” said Mecklenburg. “Highlighted by [senior thrower] Emma Murillo’s win in the women’s weight throw and [sophomore distance runner] Paula Gil-Echevarria’s school record in the mile.”

Gil-Echevarria broke an 11-year-old school record in the mile with a time of 4:54.37. This record was set in 2004 by former track athlete Caitlin Prunty who had a time of 4:54.67.

Distance runners sophomore Sarah Reiter and junior Catie Arrigoni both qualified for the Big Sky Conference championships in the 5,000 and 3,000-meter race. Reiter had a time of 16:47.48 and Arrigoni had a time of 17:11.83.

Murillo finished in first place in the women’s weight throwing competition. She had a throwing distance of 61-8 1/4, the second farthest throw in EWU history. Junior thrower Kaytlyn Coleman came in second place with a throwing distance of 59-7 3/4.

Freshman sprinter Rebecca Tarbert also qualified for the Big Sky Conference championships by recording a time of 7.65 in the 60-meter dash. Sophomore sprinter Janessa Day had a personal best time of 57.99 in the 400-meter race.

Mecklenburg told goeags.com that Day’s performance in that meet was one of the most memorable.

“Other performances that stood out for us included Janessa Day’s time of 57.99 in the 400,” said Mecklenburg. “That is almost two seconds faster than her previous indoor mark this season, and two seconds is a lot of time in the sprints.”

Junior distance runner Katie Mahoney had a personal record time of 4:56.07 in the mile and another personal record in the 800-meter race, 2:17.60.

Sophomore pole vaulter Courtney Bray had a personal record jump of 12-11 3/4.

Kerr talked about how the coaching staff prepares the team for these meets every week.

“We really try to keep a balanced approach,” said Kerr. “The idea is that we let [the athletes] know that they should expect more in themselves than what they think they can do.”

For the men’s team freshmen sprinters Jeremy VanAssche and Tyree Fort both had Big Sky Conference championship qualifying marks in the 60-meter race. VanAssche had a time of 6.95 while Fort ran a personal record time of 6.96.

Senior distance runner Aaron Brenton ran a personal record time of 15:11.48 in the 5,000-meter race.

Sophomore jumper Andrew Morgan had a mark of 6-4 3/4 in the high jump for a personal best.

Eastern will compete at the Washington State University Invitational on Feb. 6-7.