NEWBERG, Ore. – Season, career, school and conference records all were eclipsed by Linfield individuals competing Friday and Saturday at the Northwest Conference Track and Field Championships.
 
With many athletes saving their best performances for the nine-team championship event, both squads saw improvements from the previous season. The Linfield men rose from fifth place in 2023 to fourth place this spring. The Wildcat women climbed from seventh place last year to fifth in the final 2024 team standings.
 
George Fox held off strong efforts on both sides to repeat as NWC men's and women's team champions. The meet, featuring all nine NWC programs, was held at Stoffer Family Stadium on the GFU campus.
 
Linfield's Kira Hawaaboo capped an impressive Northwest Conference championship meet by being named the Women's Outstanding Field Performer and Women's NWC Rookie of the Year. Hawaaboo set Linfield, NWC championship-meet and NWC all-time records Friday in the long jump, soaring an NCAA Division III-leading 19-6¾. The 2024 NWC heptathlon champion also competed in the high jump, the 100- and 200-yard dashes, and both relay events.
 
WOMEN
Linfield's 4x100-meter relay squad, comprised of Hillary Connors, Rachelle Silis, Paige Kasso and Hawaaboo, clocked a season-best time of 48.57 to take second place.
 
Jennifer Torres-Bermudez placed fourth in the 1,500 run (4:44.07) and also earned fourth place in the 800 (personal record 2:18.43).
 
Jordan Roberts turned in a personal-best time of 15.60 in the 100 hurdles, cinching fourth place.
 
Silis and Hawaaboo both logged personal-record times in the 200 dash. Silis was fifth in 25.71 and Hawaaboo was sixth in 25.91.
 
Silis and Justice McBride-Steiger placed fifth and sixth, respectively in the 400 dash. Silis recorded a career best time of 58.23 with McBride-Steiger crossing the finish line close behind in 58.38.
 
Three Wildcats notched eight team points in the 100 dash: Hawaaboo was fifth (career-best 12.36), Connors was sixth (season-best 12.69) and Kasso claimed eighth place (12.75).
 
The foursome of Torres-Bermudez, McBride-Steiger, Hawaaboo and Silis team to place fourth in the 4x400 relay. Their time of 4:01.75 was their fastest mark of the season.
 
Logan Roberts cleared 5-1 in the high jump, sharing fifth place with George Fox's Marina Carrol.
 
MEN
Nick Olson captured the Northwest Conference shot put championship. His heave of 49-4¼ bettered runner-up Scott McBride of George Fox by nearly a full foot (48-5¼).
 
The men's 4x100 relay, made up of Liam Christensen, Evan Fisette, Charles Dayton and Dylan Jackson, recorded a season-best time of 42.32 to secure fourth place.
 
Jevon Cloy earned five team points with a fourth-place effort in the 110 hurdles. His time of 15.40 was a new personal best.
 
Fisette ran a career-best time in the 200 (22.07), edging Jackson for fourth place (22.07).
 
Calvin Cahill raced to a season-best time in the 800 (1:55.65), locking down fourth place and five important team points.
 
Linfield scored 10 team points in the 100 dash. Jackson placed fourth in 11.02, one-hundredth of a second faster than Fisette's time of 11:03. Dayton was eighth in 11.23.
 
Alex Oathout ran 14:59.04 in the 5,000. His personal-record time earned the Wildcats junior seventh place in a crowded field of 26 entrants.
 
Christensen, Cahill, Fisette and Jackson blazed to a season-best mark of 3:20.09 in the 4x400 relay, earning third place.
 
In other field events competed Saturday, Hayden Magill threw the javelin a personal record 165-9, good for eighth place.
 
COMING UP
Select athletes will compete Friday at Oregon State. The meet begins at 11 a.m. on the OSU campus.