Keys Wins Heptathlon on Day Two of UW Invitational

SEATTLE – Dakotah Keys led the group of four Ducks on his way to winning the heptathlon on the second day of the UW Invitational, Saturday. Keys finished with 5,730 points which is the third-highest score in the NCAA this season and the second-highest score of his career.

Keys entered the day with a sizeable lead on the field and extended that with wins in the 60 hurdles and the pole vault, bringing his total to four event wins during the two-day event. The senior won the hurdles in 8.27 seconds, tying his personal best, before clearing 15-11 (4.85m) in the pole vault and running 2:44.79 in the 1,000. He finished the competition by either setting or tying a personal record in four of the seven events.

“Dakotah had a solid weekend, getting the win and nearly setting a PR,” said head coach Robert Johnson. “Coach Cook did a great job preparing him and the rest of the group for the competition. Whenever you finish with four guys in the top five you have to be pleased.”

Oregon was well-represented in the field as Mitch Modin, Alec Fellows and Blake Kemp finished 3-5, respectively. Modin, a freshman, was competing in the heptathlon for the first time of his collegiate career and finished with 5,171 points.

Fellows and Kemp tallied 5,104 and 5,017 points, respectively.

The Ducks will have a week off before splitting up for the Don Kirby Elite (Feb. 14-15) and the Husky Classic (Feb. 14-15).