PROVO – In the first meet of the indoor season, the BYU women’s track team won nine events and took the top three spots in six events as they dominated the BYU Cougar Indoor Invitational on Friday and Saturday.
“It’s the first meet and that definitely showed,” head coach Patrick Shane said. “But we had some athletes whose marks were very impressive. There are always highs and lows and everything in between, and this meet was no different.”
The top event for the Cougars was the pole vault, which was won by junior Rachel Fisher with a jump of 4.10m (13-5.50). Freshman Nicole Naatjes, competing in her first collegiate meet, took second in the event by clearing 3.80m (12-5.50) and sophomore Elizabeth Portanova cleared 3.65m (11-11.75) to take third.
All-American Ada Robinson led BYU in the high jump with a leap of 1.70m (5-7.00). Diana Blauer and Taylor Stapley also both clear 1.70m but needed more attempts and finished second and third, respectively.
On the track, sophomore Aubrey Hale won the 60m dash in 7.76, while freshman Kassie Jensen finished second in 7.85. Danielle Figgins, a sophomore, finished a close third in 7.86.
Senior Diane Stewart, competing for the first time since the 2009 season, won both the 60m hurdles in 8.87 and took second in the 400m in 58.73. Freshman Angela Shields won the 400m in 58.34 in her first meet as a Cougar.
In the 800m, a traditionally strong event for BYU, the Cougars took the top three spots. Amy Thornton finished first in 2:17.15, while Jennica Redd (2:18.04) and Bethanie Krumen (2:18.60) place second and third, respectively.
The two longest running events of the day, the mile and 3000m, were both won by BYU athletes. Maren Hanson won the mile in 5:18.26 while Brooke Holt took the 3000m title in 10:27.29.
BYU will continue the indoor season Saturday, January 14 as they travel north to Boise to compete in the Boise State Invitational. The meet is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at 3:15 p.m. MST.
CLICK HERE for final results from the BYU Cougar Indoor Invitational.