PALO ALTO -- BYU sophomore Katie Bowen qualified for regionals in the 5000 meters at the Stanford Invitational on Saturday with a time of 16:43.07.
Bowen, from Alpine, Utah, now holds the second-fastest time so far this season in the Mountain West Conference.
"Katie really ran a great race today," said Patrick Shane, the BYU women's distance coach. "The Stanford Invite is a wonderful meet for distance runners. Between today and yesterday our women had six qualifying marks."
Though she just missed the qualifying time in the 1500 meters, BYU freshman Katie Palmer set an eight-second lifetime best. Palmer, who is normally an 800-meter runner, crossed the line in 4:28.20.
On the men's side, senior Tyrel Jensen qualified for regionals in the 1500 meters with a time of 3:47.43. Jacob Gustaffson, a junior from Mission Viejo, Calif., who already has a qualifying mark in the 1500 meters, placed ninth in his heat with a time of 3:45.93.
BYU junior Stephan Shay crossed the line just one second away from a regional qualifying mark in the 5000 meters. Shay, a transfer from Michigan State, finished sixth in his heat with a time of 14:13.29. In the following heat, sophomore Jon Kotter crossed the line in 14:20.53 to finish third in the heat.
"It's tough to miss qualifying by a second, but it show's that Stephan's fit," said Ed Eyestone, the BYU men's distance coach. "It will give him a chance to reload and see if he can qualify at Mt. Sac in a couple weeks."
At the Texas Relays, junior Whitney Neves nabbed a regional mark in the pole vault, clearing 17 feet .75 inches. After jumping 17 feet 6.5 inches on Thursday in the B section of the pole vault, junior Bob Low cleared 16 feet 6.67 inches on Saturday in the A section.
The men's and women's teams will next be in action at the Missouri Tom Botts Invitational in Columbia, Mo., on April 11-12.
Click here for results of the Stanford Invitational
Click here for results of the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays