Vikings Return to Corvallis for Second Straight Week, Compete at Pac-12 Open Saturday

PORTLAND, Ore. — Like an Oregonian who forgot whether they turned their stove off or not just as they start a road trip, the Portland State track & field program is doing a U-turn on I-5 as the Vikings head back down to Corvallis for the second straight week. The Vikings will compete at the Pac-12 Open Saturday, a week after they were last at Whyte Track and Field Center for the OSU High Performance Meet.
 
Last week’s trip to the Beavers’ home track was kind to the Vikings, especially to Edward Niyongere, who set a top 10 mark in the triple jump. Niyongere sat eighth in the triple jump standings going into his sixth and final attempt in the competition. That’s when he uncorked a personal best of 48-00.75 (14.65m) to move up to fifth all-time in the event at Portland State.
 
Niyongere will return to the triple jump Saturday while also competing in the men’s long jump.
 
The other two Vikings to set top 10 marks last week – Dieumerci Migani in the men’s long jump, Ania Kapustka in the women’s 3k steeplechase – won’t be in action Saturday. Neither will Emma Stolte, who was a double heat winner between the women’s 800 and 1,500 meters last weekend. Those three will wait for their return the following week at the Big Sky Outdoor Championships in Sacramento.
 
Daniel Coppedge – the school record holder in the weight throw and hammer – figures to join them there, though he’ll first return to action this weekend. Coppedge took last weekend off but is entered in the hammer and discus Saturday.
 

Coppedge set the school record in the hammer at the Oregon Preview on March 21, throwing 186-10 (56.96m). He approached that mark at the last two meets at which he competed, throwing 183-10 (56.05m) at the John Knight Twilight on April 11 and 183-08 (56.00m) at the L&C Larry Byerly Invitational on April 18. Coppedge still has the ability to throw farther, as his personal best remains 193-02 (58.87m) when he was throwing for Clackamas Community College at the 2023 NWAC Championships.
 
Another Viking scheduled to return Saturday will be Portland State football player Micah Avery. With spring practices over for the Viking football team, Avery could make his return to the track in the 100 and 200 meters this weekend.
 

Avery’s only appearance so far during the outdoor season came before spring practices started for the football team at the L&C Electric Forest Opener on March 8. Avery cracked 11 seconds in the 100 meters at that meet, finishing in 10.98 seconds. He also ran the 200 meters in 22.74 seconds.
 
Phoenix Bakkum, Dillon Brost, Ty Hawkins and Braden Latscha will join Avery in the men’s 100 meters. That crew has shown improvements recently. Latscha set personal bests in the 100 and 200 meters last weekend at the OSU High Performance Meet, finishing in 11.20 and 22.91 seconds, respectively. Brost set a seasonal best in the 200 meters with his finish in 22.47 seconds, while Bakkum did the same with his finish in 22.91 seconds.
 
The women’s 800-meter crew also showed out for the Vikings last Saturday. With Stolte leading the way, that group produced two heat wins and three personal or seasonal bests at the OSU High Performance Meet.
 
While Stotle won’t be back this weekend, the Vikings’ other heat winner – Addison Capozzi – will be. Capozzi won her heat by more than a second and a half while finishing in 2:22.98. Taylor Nichols will also be back after cracking 2:20 in the 800 meters for the first time outdoors, setting a personal best with her finish in 2:19.64.
 
Run a good time again Saturday, and the Vikings’ trip back up I-5 to Portland will be a happy one. As long as they’re sure they turned off their burners.
 
MEET INFO
May 10 – Pac-12 Open – Corvallis, Ore. (Whyte Track and Field Center)
 
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Live Results | Live Video
 
MEET SCHEDULE
Saturday, May 10
Time (PT) – Event (PSU Entries)
10 a.m. – Men’s Javelin (Green)
~11 a.m. – Women’s Javelin (Garcia)
~12 p.m. – Men’s Hammer (Coppedge, Green, LaGris)
1 p.m. – Men’s Long Jump (Becker, Hawkins, Niyongere)
~1 p.m. – Men’s High Jump (Mathers)
2:15 p.m. – Women’s 1,500 Meters (Capozzi, Nichols, Schmitke, Wapsheli)
2:30 p.m. – Men’s 1,500 Meters (Brown, Chen)
2:55 p.m. – Women’s 100-Meter Hurdles (Olivier)
~3 p.m. – Men’s Discus (Coppedge, LaGris)
~3 p.m. – Women’s Shot Put (Garcia)
3:10 p.m. – Men’s 110-Meter Hurdles (Sweeney)
3:25 p.m. – Women’s 400 Meters (Coté, Faust)
3:30 p.m. – Men’s 400 Meters (Olubisi)
3:40 p.m. – Women’s 100 Meters (Wheat)
3:52 p.m. – Men’s 100 Meters (Avery, Bakkum, Brost, Hawkins, Latscha)
4 p.m. – Men’s Triple Jump (Niyongere, Sharps)
4:15 p.m. – Women’s 800 Meters (Brown, Capozzi, Nichols, Schmitke)
4:25 p.m. – Men’s 800 Meters (Brown, Chen, Ramirez, Walsh)
5:20 p.m. – Women’s 200 Meters (Coté, Wheat)
5:30 p.m. – Men’s 200 Meters (Avery, Bakkum, Brost, Kargbo, Latscha, Olubisi)
7:45 p.m. – Men’s 5,000 Meters (Moore, Muradas)
8:10 p.m. – Men’s 10,000 Meters (Ota, Sarver Huber)