PROVO -- Athletes from BYU, Utah Valley, Weber State, Utah and Idaho State filled the Smith Fieldhouse on Saturday for the conclusion of the Cougar Indoor Invitational.
With little set in stone for the upcoming season, BYU athletes on both squads were jostling for higher positions on the depth charts.
"We're trying to find out how effective our off-season training was over the past few months, and we're trying to see who is going to step up this year," BYU women's coach Craig Poole said.
The Cougars who came out on top on Saturday were Ashley McAllister (pole vault), Katlyn Merrill (triple jump), Justin Palmer (heptathlon), Kevin Biesinger (400 meter), Kyle Perry (3000 meter) and Stephan Shay (mile).
While the BYU women distance runners rested for the first meet of the season, the men's distance squad was out in force.
"We're going to rest next week, but we really wanted to get out and see where we were at today," BYU men's distance coach Ed Eyestone said. "I'm pleasantly surprised with the races of Stephan Shay and Kyle Perry."
Shay, a runner who ran into injuries at the end of cross country season, came out strong in the mile race, completing it in 4:14. Meanwhile his teammate, Kyle Perry, turned heads with his 8:15 3000-meter race. Perry didn't run cross country last season and is looking to place well at the national level this year in track.
The BYU women's and men's track teams will next be in action on Saturday, Jan. 19, at Northern Arizona.