The Umpqua Community College Track & Field team opened up their 2022 season at the Erik Anderson Ice Breaker hosted by Linfield University over the weekend. The first to compete were the 10k athletes. Freshman Pamela Decko easily came away with the NWAC Automatic Qualifying standard. The goal was to qualify for the conference championships with as much ease as possible. Decko's time of 42:47.31 was nearly 45 seconds under the conference qualifying time and also established a school record.
The next day saw the rest of the team in action, where another nine qualifying marks were met. Leading the way for the RiverHawk women was Freshman Jadyn Vermillion. Vermillion finished second overall in both the long jump and triple jump and was the top collegiate athlete. She met auto qualifying standards with a leap of 10.88m in triple jump and 5.32m in long jump. Vermillion then finished her day on the track with a 5th place finish in the 100m. Her time of 12.91 established a new school record as well. Fellow freshman Leonie Samuels threw a lifetime best of 13.47m to establish a new school record as well as taking the win in the shot put by close to a full meter.
For the men, freshman Colby Neron started the day for the squad with a huge personal best in the javelin. Neron threw 62.01m to finish second overall. The throw was nearly a 20ft personal best as well as easily qualifying for the NWAC championships. Christopher Penn came away with the win in the 100m (10.91) and a third place finish in the 200m (21.91). His 100m time tied his own school record and the 200m was a new school record, breaking his own from last season. Both times were automatic qualifying standards. In the pole vault, Freshmen Ashton Wolfe and Keith Sorenson also qualified for the NWAC championships. Wolfe placed fifth with a personal best of 4.32m and Sorenson jumped 4.17m for 6th place. Freshman thrower Alex Duguid-Green had a solid debut for the RiverHawks with a toss of 40.55m in discus, which met the qualifying standard as well. Duguid-Green also finished 6th in the shot put with a 12.77m heave. Freshman Donovon Bruce had a great run in the 400m en route to a new school record. Bruce's time of 51.91 secured a 6th place finish for the team.
