BELLINGHAM, Wash. – It wasn't quite the perfect race she had in mind. But it was still the fastest race of the season for Hannah Chang – and one that broke a barrier.
 
So for now, she'll take it. Then she'll take another run at it on Saturday morning.
 
The Seattle Pacific junior beat the 14-second mark in the 100-meter hurdles for the second time in her career on Friday afternoon, clocking 13.93 to win that event at the Pee Wee Halsell Invitational track and field meet.
 
Chang's time on the straightaway at Civic Stadium was just five-hundredths of a second shy of her personal-best 13.88 that she recorded in winning the Great Northwest Athletic Conference title last spring.
 
She was hoping to meet or beat that mark under pleasantly sunny, warm conditions on Friday. But a clipped hurdle in the second half of the race dashed that plan.

"I felt really good the first five," Chang said, "then sadly, I hit one of the last hurdles. But it's all really good for today and I'm really happy to get my sub-14 again."
 
Chang has run faster every time she has stepped on the track this spring. She started out with a 15.39 when she clipped multiple hurdles at the PLU Open on March 8. From there, she has dropped to 14.51, 14.40, 14.17, 14.03 last Saturday at the Wildcat Open in Ellensburg, and now that much sought-after mark in the 13s.
 




"It has been a journey this season," Chang said. "I'm just trying to take each race as it is and know that a big one is coming. My goal is 13.70 – that's what I want."
 
A time like that certainly would boost her chances of making a second straight trip to the NCAAs. Last year, her 13.88 got her in as the last of the 20 accepted entries. This year, the top 22 who declare for that event are guaranteed a spot on the starting line.
 
Chang's current time is tied for No. 24 heading into the rest of the weekend. In the No. 22 spot is Alaska Anchorage's Liv Heite at 13.90. Those two were side-by-side on the track Friday. Heite clocked 14.10 to finish right behind Chang. They're both entered again for Saturday's Ralph Vernacchia Invitational, the second half of the weekend doubleheader in Bellingham.
 
As might be expected, those two bring out the best in each other. They were 1-2 in last year's GNAC outdoor finals (13.88 for Chang, 14.28 for Heite) and 1-2 again in February's GNAC 60-meter indoor finals (8.60 for Chang, 8.77 for Heite). Between indoors and outdoors over the past two years, they've now gone head-to-head in the same heat nine times.
 
"Whenever I race against her, I know I'm going to be fast," Chang said. "I just love being able to race her every time, so take advantage of the opportunity, for sure."
 
AND THAT'S NOT ALL
-- Freshman Andrew Bell will have to take another try at the overall SPU school record in the men's 110 hurdles on Saturday. The time to beat is 14.50, which he tied last Saturday in Ellensburg. He finished in 14.72 on Friday.
 

-- Mikel Saxon cleared a career best and Mason Hrcek went a season best in the men's pole vault. Saxon got over at 13 feet, 11¼ inches to finish sixth. He easily topped his previous best of 13-6½ from last season's GNAC meet. Hrcek went 14-5¼ to place third. His previous high was 14-1 ¼ on April 12 at Pomona-Pitzer. Both are sophomores.
-- Katelyn Flolo recorded another personal best in the 3000-meter steeplechase, finishing in 11 minutes, 28.51 seconds. A junior, that beat the 11:31.39 she ran on April 4 at the Mike Fanelli Track Classic in San Francisco.
-- Madelyn Buckley tied her career best (2:21.19) while Lucia Templeton (2:24.24) and Ella Milanovich (2:29.14) ran career bests in the 800 meters.
 
UP NEXT
The Falcons will be back at Civic Stadium on Saturday for the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational. Track races start at 9:20 a.m. The only field eventers are Hrcek and Saxon in the men's pole vault, and that starts at 3:00 p.m.


NCAA WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD
Pee Wee Halsell Invitational
Friday, April 25, 2025
Civic Stadium / Bellingham, Wash.
 
Team scores – Not kept.
 
SPU EVENTS ONLY
800 – 1, Mia Crocker (WWU) 2:10.17.  SPU – 10, Madelyn Buckley 2:21.19; 20, Lucia Templeton 2:24.24; 23, Ella Milanovich 2:29.14.
100 hurdles – 1, Hannah Chang 13.93#.  Other SPU – 8, Sophie Mock 16.39.
3000 steeplechase – 1, Marisha Thompson (U Victoria) 10:27.03.  SPU – 5, Katelyn Flolo 11:28.51.
Pole vault – 1, Sydney Mohlman (WWU) 12-5 ½ / 3.80.  SPU – Kaitlyn Askay no height.
 

NCAA MEN'S TRACK & FIELD
Pee Wee Halsell Invitational
Friday, April 25, 2025
Civic Stadium / Bellingham, Wash.
 
Team scores – Not kept.
 
SPU EVENTS ONLY
800 – 1, Tate O'Brien (U Victoria) 1:51.74.  SPU – 19, Nathan Korth 1:58.95; 23, Ethan Erickson 2:00.11; 25, Jonathan Lieb 2:01.05.
5000 – 1, Jacob White (Cochrane Endurance Project) 15:28.56.  SPU – 7, Nathaniel Gale 16:07.97.
10,000 – 1, Colin Hitchcock (CWU) 32:20.58.  SPU – 7, Gabe Endresen 37:28.17.
110 hurdles – 1, David Brown (CWU) 14.44.  SPU – 3, Andrew Bell 14.72.
Pole vault – 1, Bryce White (UBC) 15-5 / 4.70m.  SPU – 3, Mason Hrcek 14-5¼ / 4.40m; 6, Mikel Saxon 13-11¼ / 4.25m.
 

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