NORTHRIDGE -- The NCAA West Regional Outdoor Track & Field Championships conclude today at the Cal State Northridge Track & FIeld Complex. Following is an event-by-event recap of today's action.
With four automatic qualifiers and two others who will advance to the NCAA National Championships in the at-large pool, BYU head men's Mark Robison said he was pleased with the team's performance over the two-day regional championship meet.
"We had some phenomenal performances," Robison said. "I'm pleased. You know, it's typical track. We did well in some events and I thought we could have done better in some other events. But, overall, I'm pleased. I'm excited for the six guys who will get to go to Nationals and I think they have a good shot at becoming All-Americans and scoring some points."
In the women's competition, BYU finished the meet earning three automatic bids to the NCAA National Championships and are hopeful two additional athletes will earn an at-large bid.
"This was an incredible meet," women's head coach said. "With the level of competition that was here, it was very difficult for an athlete to advance. We are very excited about the performances of our athletes. I think they did a terrific job. Seeing these athletes advance to Nationals is very satisfying.
Overall, both the men's and women's teams finished 12th in the team competition.
Women's Javelin
Sarah Lancaster
In the first event of the day, juniors Sarah Lancaster and Piret Kuresson finished 14th and 15th, respectively, in the javelin. Lancaster opened the competition with what would be her best mark of the day, tossing the javelin 44.37 meters (145' 07.00"). Kuresson also had her best effort on the first of her three attempts, registering a toss of 43.94 meters (144' 02.00").
Men's Pole Vault (Prelims and Finals)
Bob Low
Junior Bob Low earned a trip to the NCAA National Championships in the pole vault, finishing second in the competition with a height of 5.31 meters (17' 05.00"). Low passed on the opening height and cleared 5.06 meters on his first attempt, which proved to be the difference between second and third place. Low took two attempts on his next two heights before missing on three attempts at 5.41 meters.
Senior Matt Weirich finished seventh in the competition with a mark of 5.21 meters (17' 01.00). Freshman Chris Little finished 14th with a jumpr of 5.06 meters (16' 07.25").
Whitney Neves failed to clear his starting height of 16' 07.25".
Men's Discus (Prelims and Finals)
Sophomore Leif Arrhenius had little pressure going in to the Regional Championships knowing he had all but qualified for the national championship meet with his nation's best mark of 207' 01". Arrhenius failed to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA National Championship meet with an 11th-place finish in the discus with a distance of 54.87 meters (180' 00"). Junior Dustin Lawrensen finished 15th with a toss of 52.49 meters (172' 02").
Women's 1,500 Meters (Finals)
Carolyn Quebe
Senior Carolyn Quebe finished 14th in the women's 1,500 meters, running the event in a time of 4:35.33. Quebe held ninth place through the first 400 meters before the field split. Running among the front in the second pack, Quebe held 11th place with 400 meters; however, as the pace picked up over the final 250 meters, Quebe slipped back and finished 14th.
Men's 1,500 Meters (Finals)
Senior Tyrel Jensen was content to run in the final position through the first 1,100 meters, but as the pack pulled away with 400 meters to go, Jensen was unable to catch the group and finished 12th in a time 3:55.32.
Women's 800 Meters (Finals)
Carlee Clark-Platt
With Arizona's Christina Rodgers making a charge down the home stretch, senior Carlee Clark-Platt held her off to finish fourth with a lifetime best in the 800 meters, 2:04.89. Clark-Platt's fourth-place finish earns her an automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships next month in Des Moines, Iowa. Sophomore Stacy Slight finished seventh with a time of 2:07.32.
Women's 400-meter Hurdles (Finals)
Sandra Mazan
Running in lane two, Sandra Mazan entered the finals ranked seventh in the 400-meters hurdles. With a time of 1:00.64 in the finals, Mazan finished the race in seventh place. Mazan's time was just .15 seconds slower than her season-best qualifying time of 1:00.49 on Friday.
Women's 3,000-meter Steeplechase
Angela Wagner
Sophomore Angela Wagner, a native of South Africa, pulled away from the leader's pack with 300 meters to go to win the NCAA West Regional 3,000-meter steeplechase championship with a lifetime best of 9:58.68. Wagner's time marks the fourth fastest in BYU history.
Wagner and USC's Zsofia Erdelyi battled for the lead throughout the race when Erdelyi pulled away with 800 meters. Wagner reeled her back in and then with 300 meters to go, Wagner pulled away to cruise to a nearly five-second victory.
Junior Amy Fowler-Layne finished 14th in the second section with a time of 10:40.41, while Tawny Bybee finished 16th in a time of 10:51.99.
In the first of the two sections, senior Angela Petersen finished in fourth place with a time of 10:47.18.
Men's 3,000-meter Steeplechase
Senior Chandler Goodwin and Derek Taylor finished third and fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase to earn automatic bids to the NCAA National Championships. Goodwin edged Taylor at the line to finish third in a season-best time of 8:47.81. Taylor was credited with a lifetime best of 8:47.83.
Sophomore Richard Nelson also turned in a lifetime best, earning an eighth-place finish in a time of 8:53.48. Sophomore Ryan Merriman finished 23rd in a time of 9:14.63 and freshman Curtis Carr was 27th in a time of 9:23.96.