McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Linfield's men and women finished with two individual Northwest Conference champions and 13 athletes placed among the top eight finishers after 12 events on the first day Friday of the Northwest Conference Track & Field Championships at Maxwell Field. 
 
Linfield is serving as host of the eight-team championship event, which continues through Saturday on the Linfield campus.
 
Women
Olivia McDaniel defended her title in the pole vault and Mehana Sabado-Halpern acheived a lifetime best leap to win the long jump.
 
McDaniel made it a 1-2-3 sweep for the 'Cats, clearing 3.72 meters (12-2½). Joanna Galli was once again the runner up clearing the bar at 3.31 (10-10¼) and freshman Meg Angier took third, also clearing 3.31m but having more overall misses.

Sabado-Halpern saved her best jump for last, going out to 5.64m (18-6) on her final attempt. Madeline Shirley finished in fourth place as she also set a personal best with a leap of 5.43m (17-9¾).

Placing second in the hammer was Kailey Wright turning in a maximum throw of 44.23m (145-1).
 
Emma Knudson was runner-up in the 10,000 in a time of 37:50.82.
 
The Linfield women tallied 56 points for second place after the first day, 16 behind Whitworth's 72 points. George Fox is third with 44 points.

Men
Linfield totaled 19½  points on the first day of action, good for sixth place. George Fox led all teams with 76½ points with Willamette well back at 51 points.
 
Keaton Wood placed in two events Friday, taking fourth place in the long jump with a leap of 6.74 (22-1½) and jumping 1.79m (5-10½) in the high jump to take the eighth spot. Teammate Max Lommen tied for sixth place in the high jump, recording the same height as Wood but awarded the higher finish due to fewer misses.
 
Jeff Leider and Ryne Fuhrmark finished fourth and eighth in the shot put. Lieder's best effort of 14.32m (46-11¾) came on his third throw while Fuhrmark threw 13.31M (43-8) on his fourth attempt.
 
Jeff Lee was the only 'Cat to score on the track with his solid seventh place effort in the 10,000 in a time of 33:34.61.
 
Next
Action resumes Saturday at 10:30 a.m.