The WPU track and field teams were invited to send some individuals to compete in the GSAC Indoor Championship meet and it turned out to be a great opportunity. What is unusual about this meet for WPU, which is in the Cascade Collegiate Conference in the Pacific Northwest, is that the GSAC is a conference in southern California. While competing at a meet the previous week at Westmont College, which is a member of the GASC, the WPU coaches mentioned that the Cascade Conference didn't have a conference indoor meet and inquired about GSAC Indoor Championship meet coming up the next week. The GSAC Indoor Championship meet, as it turns out, is an unofficial championship for their conference, so the coaches of the GSAC at the bidding of Westmont head coach Russell Smelley, voted to invite WPU to bring some athletes back to the meet the following week.
 
The Rundown
WPU head coach Randy Dalzell said, "The invitation from the GSAC and Westmont presented us with a golden opportunity (no pun intended – the GSAC is the Golden State Athletic Conference) to go back and compete in great conditions at a beautiful facility, so we were thrilled to be invited!"

The WPU athletes were counted as "guests" and did not count in the team scoring like the GSAC teams, but were able to get marks that would count toward national qualifying as individuals. The Knights won three events and placed in the top 4 in all of their events. Jett Pharn-Cromb won the men's 60m sprint in 7.07 into a head wind, but he has already secured his NAIA Indoor Championship qualifying spot with his 6.82 victory at last week's meet. He is currently tied for 7^th on the NAIA performance list. Brittany Coleman won the women's triple jump with a new indoor personal best of 11.81m (38'9"), which currently ranks #7 on the NAIA performance list and also guarantees her a spot at the NAIA Indoor Championships.
 
Savannah Proske was second in the women's pentathlon with a new personal best and school record of 3018 points. The old record was 2950 points by Breanna Hargrave in 2006. This ranks Savannah around 20^th and gives her a chance to still get into the national meet if some people to not declare or for some other reason, such as illness or injury, do not compete in that event. Indya Price ran her first indoor 800m and her first 400m, winning the open 800m in 2:22 and finishing 4^th in the 400m in 62.30. Kynzie DeLeon ran her first indoor mile, finishing second in 5:28.61 and doubled back in the 3000m for third place in 11:07.
 
Deeper Look
The Knights will take Jett Pharn-Cromb in the 60m and Brittany Coleman in the triple jump to the NAIA Indoor Championships at Mount Marty University in Yankton, South Dakota from March 3-6. Savannah Proske may also get a chance to compete if she moves up the alternate list.
 
Flash Forward
The 2021 Indoor Track & Field National Championships were relocated from South Dakota State University to Mount Marty University in Yankton, South Dakota and will take place in the brand new Ruth Donohoe First Dakota Fieldhouse from March 3-6, 2021.