The Washington State track and field competitors saw action in two locations this weekend. The distance runners competed Friday and Saturday at the University of Washington Invitational at the Dempsey Facility in Seattle. All other events competitors were at the New Mexico Team Invitational contested Saturday at the Albuquerque Convention Center.
 
SEATTLE -- Senior Devon Bortfeld finished eighth overall and was the fourth collegiate placer in the women's 5000m Friday night with a time of 16 minutes 26.73 seconds, just 10 seconds slower than her WSU indoor record time of 16:16.42 run last year. She returned to the track Saturday afternoon and was the runner-up in the women's invitational section of the mile, running a PR time of 4:50.96, a time that is fifth-best in WSU all-time records.
 
In the men's 3000m invitational section, Chandler Teigen ran a PR time of 8:10.08 for 19th place in a highly talented field. The next Cougars finisher was Colton Johnsen, a sophomore January transfer from Eastern Washington, who won his Friday night 3000m section with a PR time of 8:17.08 and finished 30th overall. In the women's 3k invitational section, Vallery Korir placed 12th a PR time of 9:29.71.
 
The men's distance medley relay team of Paul Ryan, Reid Muller, Justin Janke and Chandler Teigen finished third in a time of 9:54.04.
 
ALBUQUERQUE -- It was another great competition for the Cougars weight throwers. Brock Eager won the men's 35-pound weight throw with a season-best distance of 66-feet 5 1/4 inches (20.25m), just three inches from his 2017 toss that is third-best in WSU all-time. Eager's second-best throw of the day was 66-5 (20.24m). Aoife Martin was the runner-up in the women's 20-pound weight throw with her third PR toss this season, this one a distance of 57-1 1/2 (17.41m), a mark that keeps Martin at eighth-best in WSU records.
 
In the women's 60m dash, Regyn Gaffney ran a season-best time of 7.51 seconds for fourth and Jordyn Tucker placed sixth with a PR time of 7.60. Alissa Brooks-Johnson equaled her PR time of 8.77 in the 60m hurdles prelims but ran a time of 9.18 for eighth in the final.
 
Marlow Schulz took fourth place, behind three professional racers, in the women's 800m with an indoor PR time of 2 minutes 10.40 seconds.
 
The Cougars women's 4x400m relay squad of Jelena Grujic, Schulz, Brooks-Johnson and Zorana Grujic took second place with a time of 3:47.94.
 
Greer Alsop was the runner-up in the women's triple jump with a season-best leap of 40-0 3/4 (12.21m).
 
In the men's sprints, Ja'Maun Charles took third in the 60m dash with a time of 6.81 with Zach Smith fifth in a time of 6.91, both times just 2/100s second off their PR times. Smith was the runner-up in the 200m dash with a PR time of 21.39 and Charles was sixth with a season-best time of 21.70.
 
Cougars finished one-two-four in the men's 60m hurdles with Nick Johnson winning in a time of 8.03 after clocking in a time of 8.00 in the prelims. Abu Kamara was second in a time of 8.15 and Christapherson Grant was fourth in a time of 8.20.
 
A pair of freshmen led the way in the vertical jumps. Mitch Jacobson tied for third in the men's high jump with a PR height of 6-7 1/2 (2.02m). Sander Moldau made his Cougars debut in the pole vault with a runner-up finish after clearing a bar at 16-0 3/4 (4.90m). Tucker Mjelde also cleared a season-best height of 16-0 3/4 (4.90m) but finished fourth, based on missed attempts in the event.
 
Robby Flores captured third in the men's triple jump, breaking the 15-meter barrier with his PR leap of 50-3 1/2 (15.33m). Jeremiah Stone finished sixth with a PR triple jump of 46-4 1/4 (14.13m).
 
THEY SAID:
Wayne Phipps, WSU Director of Cross Country/Track & Field after Friday night's competition in Seattle said, "I thought it was a solid night and we had some great season openers. Devon ran a great race and was well under her school record pace until very late in the race. In his first race ever in a WSU uniform Colton Johnsen had a dominate performance in the 3000 meters, staying with the leaders and then putting seven seconds on the field in the last part of the race. Chandler Teigen ran a very smart 1600 meters leg in the DMR to move us up to third. We have the personnel to run very well in both DMRs so I'm very excited to see what we can run once we finalize all of our legs."
 
Senior Devon Bortfeld said, "Overall, this is the fastest I've ever run at a season opener so I'm excited to really get in the swing of racing. I still have a lot of work to do and details to iron out, but that will come with another race under my belt. My goals this year are to go under 16-minutes in the 5k, to grab the 3k record, and score as many points as possible at MPSF so we can get a top three team spot!"
 
Julie Taylor, WSU Associate Head Coach and throws coach, Saturday after competition in Albuquerque said, "Aoife Martin continues to improve each week. She has so much potential in this event it is exciting each meet to see how she will do. Brock had a great day and continues to get technically better each meet. I know once he can complete the throw his marks will be even better."
 
NOTEWORTHY:

• Senior Devon Bortfeld (Sammamish, Wash.) is cementing her place as one of the great women runners in WSU history. She is now ranked in the top five in WSU all-time records in four events: 3000m (3rd), 5000m (3rd), 3000m steeplechase (4th), and mile (5th).
• Team scores from the New Mexico Team Invite (WSU did NOT field a complete team) - Men's team scores: New Mexico 121, Texas State 100, WSU 99.5, TCU 96, Grand Canyon 76.5 and Utah State 71; Women's team scores: Texas State 120, New Mexico 89, San Diego State 84.5, WSU 69.5, Utah State 61.5, Grand Canyon 59.5, TCU 54 and New Mexico State 34.
• WSU women achieved 10 PRs while the men also tallied 10 PRs over the weekend.
• Male and female freshman twins made their WSU debuts at Albuquerque: Sander and Martin Moldau from Estonia and Jelena and Zorana Grujuic from Serbia. All four enrolled at WSU at the start of Spring semester earlier this month.
• Next weekend the Cougars will compete at home for the Cougar Indoor, a collegiate invitational meet, Feb. 2-3, at the WSU Indoor Facility.