BYU Men and Colorado State Women Lead After Day Two at MWC Indoor Track and Field Championships
BYU's Justin Palmer wins men's heptathlon
Feb. 29, 2008
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -
The BYU men (64 points) and Colorado State women (56 points) lead the Mountain West Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships after two days of competition at the Air Force Academy.
BYU junior Justin Palmer became the first Cougar to win the men's heptathlon, scoring 5,171 points. The Cougars held the top three positions in the event through the second day, with sophomores Lance Walker (5,059) and Tanner Emerich (4,983) finishing second and third, respectively. Two Air Force Falcons occupied fourth and fifth places with junior Skylar Morgan earning 4,789 points and freshman Noah Palicia earning 4,681 points. Colorado State sophomore Doug Dieker finished sixth (4,609), while Wyoming sophomore Jay Petsch finished seventh (4,566). BYU freshman Chase Dalton (4,306) and Air Force senior Matt Gensic (3,882) rounded out the field at eighth and ninth places, respectively.
On the men's side, Wyoming is just four points behind the Cougars in second (60 points), followed by Air Force (39), Colorado State (33), New Mexico (21) and TCU (13).
San Diego State is currently in second place on the women's side (44 points), followed by TCU (29), Wyoming (24), BYU (23), New Mexico (20), Utah (14), UNLV (12) and Air Force (12).
Final Heptathlon Results:
1. Justin Palmer, BYU - 5,171; 2. Lance Walker, BYU - 5,059; 3. Tanner Emrich, BYU - 4,983; 4. Skylar Morgan, AFA - 4,789; 5. Noah Palicia, AFA - 4,681; 6. Doug Dieker, CSU - 4,607; 7. Jay Petsch, Wyoming - 4,566; 8. Chase Dalton, BYU - 4,306; 9. Matt Gensic, AFA - 3,882.
2008 MWC Indoor Track and Field Championships Notes:
- Colorado State freshman Allison Gohl became just the second Ram to win the women's 5,000-meter crown in the history of the Mountain West Conference. The 2007 Women's Cross Country Freshman of the Year crossed the finish line in 17:41.41. Wyoming senior Gretchen Johnson finished second, breaking her own school record with a time of 17:45.37. Colorado State senior Kirsten Anthony came in third with a time of 17:49.46.
- Wyoming junior Mark Korir became the first Cowboy harrier to win the men's 5,000-meter race, defeating Air Force's Matt Williams and Sean Houseworth. Korir, a junior, finished first in 15:15.28, while Williams and Houseworth, also juniors, finished second (15:16.35) and third (15:20.87), respectively.
- Wyoming won the men's long jump for the second year in a row as freshman Jeremiah James leapt 24'-00.75" (7.33m) to take the event. TCU senior Jonathan Jackson finished second with a jump of 23'-06.25" (7.17m), while Wyoming sophomore John Alderson took third with his 23'-00.00" (7.01) mark.
- Wyoming senior Kate Burton won the women's weight throw with a provisional qualifying mark of 63'-11.50" (19.49m). Her distance is also the fourth-best in women's championship history. UNLV senior Monique Humphries finished second with a mark of 59'-00.75" (18.17m) and Wyoming junior Courtney Gougler was third with a distance of 57'-08.25" (17.58).
- Junior Jake Shanklin completed the Wyoming weight throw sweep as he brought home the men's title for the second consecutive year with an automatic qualifying mark of 71'-01.25" (21.67). His distance is also third-best in men's championship history. Provisionally qualifying for the NCAA Championships were Colorado State senior Jason Schutz (69'-05.50" [21.17m]) and Wyoming junior Sam Lambert (64'-02.50" [19.57m]), who placed second and third, respectively.
- BYU senior Bryce Bergen won the men's high jump, marking the seventh time in nine years a Cougar has finished first in the event. He cleared 6'-09.75" (2.08m), while New Mexico junior Josh Cosio came in second with a mark of 6'-08.75" (2.05m). Wyoming freshman Jeremiah James and BYU freshman Jordan Calderwood tied for third with marks of 6'-06.75" (2.00m).
- TCU sophomore Neidra Covington became the first Horned Frog to win the women's long jump title. She leapt 20'-00.65" (6.26m) to provisionally qualify for the NCAA Championships and now ranks third in the all-time MWC women's championship record book. Fellow teammate JimAnne Hejney, a senior, finished second with a mark of 20'-04.25" (6.20m) and San Diego State junior Karoline Koehler finished third with a mark of 20'-03.00" (6.17m).
- BYU won its seventh-straight MWC women's distance medley relay title, clocking a time of 12:31.50. The Cougars have won all but one DMR race in MWC history. Colorado State finished second (12:35.35) and TCU was third (12:39.13).
- The Cougars also won their sixth straight men's distance medley relay title, finishing with time of 10:15.74. New Mexico was second (10:16.85), followed by Air Force (10:16.90).
- San Diego State sophomore Stephanie Bagan became the fifth straight Aztec and the sixth in seven years to win the pole vault crown with a clearance of 13'-08.50" (4.18m). The mark earns her a second consecutive title, provisionally qualifies her for the NCAA Championships and is the second-best in MWC women's championship history.
