Central's Ellie DeGroot leads GNAC heptathlon, while Drew Klein of CWU stands second in decathlon...

BELLINGHAM--Central Washington's Ellie DeGroot (photo courtesy CWU Athletics) leads the heptathlon competition at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Combined Events championship meet that began Monday at Civic Stadium.

DeGroot, who won the indoor pentathlon title in February, won both the 100-meter hurdles (14.47) and the 200 meters (25.37), which combined to give her 1,766 points. She also posted a second-place finish in the shot put with a toss of 33-1.25 (10.09m), while finishing fifth in the high jump at 4-11.5” (1.51m).

Central Washington freshman Emy Ntekpere, competing in her first ever multi-event competition, stands third with 2724 points, while Seattle Pacific's Hannah Chang is fourth with 2504 points.

Ntekpere, an NCAA qualifier indoors in both the high jump and triple jump, won the high jump with a clearance of 5-7.25 (1.72m), but struggled in the shot put.

Karma Walker of Western Washington is seventh at the break with 2504, while Carley Huber of Central Washington rounds out the top eight at 2383 points.

În the decathlon, Anders Larsen of Alaska Anchorage sits at the top of the leaderboard with 3448 points, with GNAC indoor heptathlon champ and NCAA qualifier Drew Klein of Central Washington second, only nine points behind the leader.

Saint Martin's Andrew Boyd stands fifth at the break with 3208 points.

Klein won the first two events of the day, the 100 (11.17), and the long jump at 22.10 (6.96m), and finished second in the 400 in 51.52, while Larsen never finished lower than third in any of the first five events, winning the 400 in 50.61.

Boyd got a win in the shot put, throwing 40-0.75 (13.08m).

The GNAC Combined Events championship resumes Tuesday at Civic Stadium with the decathlon 110 hurdles at 10 am, and the heptathlon long jump at 10:30.

Day 1 results are available here.

NOTE: The Great Northwest Athletic Conference and the sports information offices of Central Washington, and Western Washington contributed to this report.

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