Pyeatt takes eighth at WAC 800 final, earns academic honor
Sequim High 2022 graduate Riley Pyeatt raced to an eighth place finish in the 800-meter race at the Western Athletic Conference Indoor Track Championships in Spokane in late February.
Pyeatt, a freshman at Abilene Christian University who won state 2A titles in the 800 and 4×400 relay in her senior season in Sequim, crossed the line in the 800 in 2:17.13, helping the Abiliene’s women place sixth. She ran a season-best 2:14.34 in the preliminaries to qualify for the final.
Photo courtesy of Tracie Pyeatt / Riley Pyeatt is all smiles after placing eighth in the 800-meter finals at the Western Athletic Conference Indoor Track Championships in Spokane in late February.
Pyeatt, who is majoring in animal science, was also named to Abilene Christian University’s fall 2022 Dean’s Honor Roll. To qualify, students must be registered for 12 or more credit hours and earn a grade-point-average of 3.60 or higher.
Henninger, Vikings lauded at Seattle sports star show
Western Washington University women’s soccer team was among the nominees for Sports Star of the Year in women’s sports at the Seattle Sports Star of the Year show on Feb. 28.
Former Sequim soccer standout Claire Henninger, the starting goalkeeper for the NCAA Division II champs, was highlighted in a Seattle Times article (“Western Washington women’s soccer gets moment in spotlight at Seattle Sports Star of the Year show,” Feb. 27) previewing the event.
The award went to soccer standout Rose Lavelle, the star midfielder for the OL Reign and the U.S. Women’s National Team. Other nominees included Olympic Games champion canoeist Nevin Harrison, UW softball All-American Baylee Klingler and Storm star Jewell Loyd.
Henninger told the Times that the nomination is especially flattering because Western is in the same category as Lavelle.
“It’s pretty awesome. She’s definitely someone we’ve all watched and have tried to learn from,” Henninger said.
Bernsten earns conference wrestling title at WSU
Sequim High 2022 graduate Petra Bernsten won her weight class at the 2023 NCWA Northwest Conference Championships in Hoquiam in late February.
Bernsten went 2-0 and earned pins over Big Bend’s Sitaly Macia (in 3:28) and Grays Harbor’s Danielle Rond (in 1:38) for the conference title at 143 pounds.
Washington State placed second in the eight-team tourney with 83 points, behind champ Grays Harbor (153) and ahead of University of Washington (third) and Western Washington University (fourth).
She and six other Cougars qualified for the national tournament set for March 10-11.
