SPOKANE, Wash. — The Utah Valley men's track and field team clinched its first indoor conference championship since 2015 as the Wolverines rode strong performances from their distance runners to secure the title.
After Friday's wins in the 5000-meter and DMR, the Wolverine men picked up championship runs from Sila Kiplagat in the mile and Porter Whitworth in the 3000-meter, sweeping the podium in both events and taking seven of the top eight in the 3k. Between the mile, 3k, 5k, and DMR, Utah Valley secured 102 of its 197.5 points.
"It was a great weekend, both the men and women performed really well. We were fortunate to have two really solid days from top to bottom on the men's side," said head coach Scott Houle. "Porter Whitworth winning both the 3k and the 5k, that double's pretty hard to do. We look forward to seeing what we can continue to build on and bringing the other events into the outdoor season. Finishing first and second, collectively, we feel like the kids represented the department and the school really well, and we're excited about the outcome!"
Utah Valley beat out Tarleton State for the men's title, with the Texans posting 174 team points. The Wolverine women fell just short of the team title, with Tarleton State edging out UVU 180.5 to 159.
Gavin Stafford led the men's sprinters with a pair of medal finishes. Stafford took third in the 60-meter dash with a new PR of 6.67 — moving into third place all-time in the UVU record books — and placing second in the 200-meter with a school-record time of 20.98. Kade Thompson finished just off the podium in each race, taking fourth in the 60-meter with a time of 6.70 and fifth in the 200-meter at 21.33.
James Duncan matched a school record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.02 to take bronze. Fellow Wolverine Matthew Maclennan was just behind him at 8.03 to take fourth.
Aubrey Tasker won the first title of the day for the Wolverines, matching the school record in the high jump with a mark of 1.71m to take gold.
Morgan Nokes won her first of two titles on Saturday in the mile, breaking her own school record with a time of 4:45.52. Reagan Doman and Caren Kipsirat rounded out the podium for a Wolverine sweep. Nokes later took gold in the 3k for her third win of the weekend, with Kipsirat and Doman flipping places from the mile to take second and third.
Eme Stout posted a new personal best in the 60-meter women's race, running a 7.52 to take fifth and move into third place all-time. Payge Walz improved on her own personal best to take silver in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.53.
Utah Valley swept the Outstanding Track Performer awards, with Whitworth taking it on the men's side and Nokes claiming it on the women's. Whitworth swept the 3k and 5k this weekend, while Nokes did the treble by winning the mile, 3k, and 5k. Notably, Nokes has never lost a final at the WAC indoor championships after winning the 3k and 5k in her only other appearance back in 2024.
Utah Valley will now turn its attention to the outdoor season, which will begin with the Utah Tech Invitational in St. George on March 20-21
