ALBUQUERQUE -- After three full days of competition, the BYU men's and women's track & field teams are poised to capture the overall team titles at the 2003 Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Following Friday's competition, the Cougars lead the field in the women's competition with 74.5 team points. On the men's side, BYU trails Colorado State by just 10 points in the overall team competition.
Fueled by individual victories in the long jump and pole vault, the BYU men's team rapped up the day with a six-point lead over Colorado State. However, the Rams picked up 16 points in the final event of the day (the 10,000 meters) to take a 10-point lead over the Cougars.
"We're right where we thought we'd be heading in to Saturday's competition," men's head coach Mark Robison said. "We had a tremendous day, and so did Colorado State. We have guys qualified in every event, and we should be able to pick up the points we need in order to win this thing. However, you never know what can happen."
In women's action, the Cougars outdistanced San Diego State in team scoring with a 23-point lead heading in to the final day of competition. However, the Aztecs are likely to pick up several points on Saturday in the sprints. BYU plans to counter, however, with 13 qualifiers in 7 different events.
"Based on our projections, we're a little ahead of where we thought we'd be at this point," head women's coach Craig Poole said. "San Diego State, being our main competition in this meet, has lost a little ground and didn't score as many points as they may have projected. But just the same, it's going to be a fight down to the last event."
WOMEN'S FINALS
Junior Lisa Antonelli lead a one-two-three finish in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase, turning in a University of New Mexico track record 10:43.64. Teammate Rena Williams finished second with a time of 11:09.96, followed by Kristy Barrus with a time of 11:08.44. Senior Nan Kennard placed sixth for the Cougars, giving BYU 27 crucial points in the event. Following the steeplechase, BYU held a 20-point lead over San Diego State.
In the long jump, the Cougars picked up 10 more points after Anna-Lee Walcott finished tied for second with a jump of 19-01.50. Sophomore Lindsey Sommer finished sixth with a distance of 18-05.25.
Freshman Kristen McGregor finished in a tie for fifth place in the pole vault, clearing 11-08 to pick up 3.5 team points, while junior teammate Alicia Thompson added two points with a seventh-place finish (11-08).
In the women's hammer competition, junior Chelsea Weenig took fourth with a throw of 174-00, while Malita Bingham cam in sixth with a mark of 169-11. Weenig and Bingham picked up eight points in the team competition with their fourth- and sixth-place efforts in the hammer.
In the final event of the day, which was postponed nearly two hours due to high temperatures, junior Katie Martin picked up the pace with three laps remaining to pull away from the leaders. Martin, in her first 10,000-meter performance of the season won the event in a time of 37:49.00. Junior Emily Mars finished fourth with a time of 38:46.75 to give the Cougars 14 points in the event. Katie Moon was unable to complete the race. Moon made a move to reel in the leaders, and with two laps remaining was poised to grab second place. However, with 150 meters left in the race, Moon's body showed symptoms of dehydration and oxygen deprivation. Battling obvious signs of disorientation, Moon continued another 100 meters before her legs finally gave out. After another valiant effort to stand and finish the race, Moon was forced to withdraw just 60 meters from the finish line.
"That was the ultimate display of human spirit," one San Diego State coach said. "She's a tough kid, and is the perfect example of the type of athlete BYU produces."
MEN'S FINALS
The Cougars started the day scoring 13 points in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Sophomore Matthew Adams finished second behind Colorado State's Nike Nicks with a time of 9:16.85. Senior Tyler Bushnell finished fourth in a time of 9:25.37.
BYU scored 26 points in the pole vault, led by freshman Robison Pratt, who won the event after clearing 17-08.50. Sophomore Trent Powell also cleared 17-08.50, but finished second behind Pratt, who cleared the height in less attempts. Senior Mark Barry finished fourth at a height of 16-08.75, followed by Erik Rasmussen, who finished sixth at a height of 16-08.75.
In the long jump, senior Aron Szmuda won his second straight MWC long jump title with a leap of 24-10. Freshman teammate Matthew Anderson picked up three team points with a sixth place finish in the event. Anderson was credited with a jump of 22-05.75.
Junior Daniel Arrhenius recorded a season-best mark of 179-09 in the discus to finish third, while junior Matt Holcomb finished fourth in the hammer throw with a personal best 197-02. The hammer was flying on Friday, as Holcomb improved on his person-best by over four feet. The winner, Drew Loftin, improved on his lifetime best by over 16 feet, and shattered the MWC hammer record. The Rams finished one-two-three in the event.
WOMEN'S PRELIMINARIES
Sophomore Jennifer Rockwell turned in an 11.98 to finish third in the first heat of the 100-meter prelims. Rockwell's time was good for an overall sixth-place finish through three heats, and will advance to the finals on Saturday.
In the 400 meters, junior Qaneta Lemiesz, who also qualified in the 800 meters, advanced to Saturday's final with a time of 55.02. Freshman teammate Mary Bennion coasted in the 400, and also qualified for the finals with a time of 56.50.
The Cougars have a chance to pick up big points in the 800 meters after three BYU athletes qualified for Saturday's final. Sophomore Kathryn Andersen will enter Saturday's competition as the top qualifier, turning in a 2:12.99 in Friday's preliminary event. Jamie Cottle also advance with a time of 2:13.17, followed by Lemiesz who qualified with a time of 2:13.53.
Like the 800, the Cougars have a chance to score as many as 24 points in the 1,500 meters. Cottle advanced in the 1,500 as well, turning in a top time of 4:35.24. Junior Anika Smith will also compete on Saturday after winning her heat in a time of 4:44.12. Sophomore Kathryn Andersen finished second behind Smith with a time of 4:44.50 and will advance as the fourth-ranked competitor in the 1500-meter finals on Saturday.
In the 100-meter hurdles, Mirian Fisher qualified for the finals with a personal-best 14.17 in the event. Freshman Anita Nygaard finished ninth overall and missed qualifying by just over three-tenths of a second.
Nygaard redeemed herself in the 400-meter hurdles, finishing third in heat one with a personal-best time of 60.80. Rockwell also qualified after turning on the jets in the final 100 meters, registering a time of 61.72.
MEN'S PRELIMINARIES
In the 100-meter prelims, the Cougars advanced three athletes to Saturday's finals. Sophomore Nate Soleberg, freshman Paul Smith and sophomore Cody Fonnesbeck all advanced. Soleberg qualified with a time of 10.60 after winning his heat, while Smith recorded a season-best 10.68. Fonnesbeck overcame a slow start to post a 10.74 in the event.
Fonnesbeck and Smith also advanced in the 200 meters, along with teammate Matt Nielsen. Smith and Nielsen registered an identical qualifying time of 21.11--a lifetime best for Smith. Fonnesbeck recorded a time of 21.46.
In the 400 meters, the Cougars turned in the top three qualifying times, led by sophomore David Chesser. Chesser won his heat with a time of 47.39, followed by Matt Nielsen, who was clocked at 47.49. Junior Matt Rowe qualified with a time of 47.54.
Four more Cougars qualified for the finals, recording the second, third, fourth and fifth top times in the 800 meters. Sophomore Lars Kjerengtroen led the BYU group with a time of 1:50.73, followed by Jacob Gustafsson with a time of 1:51.02. Chad Simkins (1:51.28) and Scott Adams (1:51.46) also qualified for Saturday's final.
Russ Elggren was the Cougars' lone qualifier in the 110-meter hurdles. Elggren finished second in the second heat with a time of 14.44, missing his season-best by four one-hundredths of a second.
Elggren and teammate Greg Flint dominated the second heat of the 400-meter hurdles. Flint turned in the top qualifying time of 51.16, followed by Elggren who qualified in a time of 53.01.