Source: TheMWC.com
SAN DIEGO, California
The Brigham Young men’s and women’s teams were crowned 2001 Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Champions for the second straight year Saturday. The league meet was held at the Sports Deck on the San Diego State campus.
The Cougar women scored 229.83 points with Colorado State (164.33) and San Diego State (148) rounding out the top three. The Cougar men scored 240 points followed by Air Force with 182 and Colorado State (171). BYU has now won 19 straight women’s outdoor conference titles and 15 men’s outdoor titles in the last 18 years, including four straight.
Highlighting action on the women’s side was BYU’s strong competition in the distance events. The Cougars had a 1-2 finish in the 1,500-meters with seniors Courtney Meldrum (4:21.03) and Sharolyn Shields (4:22.31. Both those finishes are NCAA provisional marks. Meldrum’s finish is also a conference meet record. The Cougar’s Elizabeth Jackson, Tara Northcutt and Lindsay Thomsen finished 1-2-3 in the 5,000 meters. Jackson’s and Northcutt’s marks are provisional ones with Jackson’s also being a conference meet record. BYU’s Sarah Ellett took the 10,000 meters with a finish of 35:20.34
BYU’s Kirsten Bolm won the 100-meter low hurdles with a time of 13.23 followed by SDSU’s Davetta Shepherd who clocked in at 13:30. Both those times are NCAA provisional qualifying marks.
Colorado State’s Megan Addy raced to a NCAA provisional mark of 58.39 in the 400-meter low hurdles. New Mexico’s Monique Harris set a conference meet record in the women’s triple jump with a 41-07.00 leap.
On the men’s side Colorado State’s Rob Vermillion and Air Force’s Brian Carpenter earned NCAA provisional marks with 3:44.63 and 3:45.80 finishes in the 1,500-meter, respectively. Utah’s Taren Jameson set a conference meet record in the 5,000 meter with a time of 14:23.35.
Action in the men’s shot saw BYU All-American Jim Roberts earn a NCAA provisional and conference meet record mark of 61-5.50. A provisional qualifying mark was also set by Wyoming’s Jason Gervais in the discus as he threw 196-2.00. Gervais’ teammate Jason Hammond set a conference meet record with a toss of 214-2.00 in the hammer throw.
The Women’s Freshman of the Year was awarded to BYU’s Maret Komarova, with Air Force’s Anthony Park taking the honor on the men’s side.
SDSU’s Aja Frary won the Women’s High Point Award with a total of 30.5 points. The Men’s High Point Award went to BYU’s Kenneth Andam (22.5).
The meet’s Outstanding Performance award was given to BYU’s Elizabeth Jackson on the women’s side for the American record she set Friday in the 3,000 meter steeplechase (9:55.63). Colorado State’s Brian Berryhill was given the award on the men’s side following his performance in the 800 meters (1:46.03).
The Women’s Coach of the Year was given to SDSU’s Rahn Sheffield. Men’s Coach of the Year honors went to Air Force’s Ralph Lindeman.
2001 Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track Championship Awards
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
M-Anthony Park, AFA
W-Maret Komarova, BYU
HIGH POINT
M-Kenneth Andam, BYU
W-Aja Frary, SDSU
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE
M-Bryan Berryhill, CSU (800m)
W-Elizabeth Jackson, BYU (3,000m Steeplechase)
COACH OF THE YEAR
M-Ralph Lindeman, AFA
W-Rahn Sheffield, SDSU
Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track Championship Records Set This Week
AMERICAN RECORD
BYU’s Elizabeth Jackson set a MWC and American record in 3,000 steeplechase 9:55.63
CONFERENCE MEET RECORDS
Women
Javelin Andrea Batt, WYO 168’8″ (5/18/01) 10,000 meter Sarah Ellett, BYU 35:20.34 (5/18/01)
3,000 meter Steeplechase Elizabeth Jackson, BYU 9:55.63 (5/18/01)
Discus Liz Toman, CSU 174′ 4″ (5/18/01)
1,500 meter Courtney Meldrum, BYU 4:21.03 (5/19/01)
5,000 meter Elizabeth Jackson, BYU 16:34.01 (5/19/01)
Long Jump (tied) Kirsten Bolm, BYU 20′ 10.5″ (5/19/01)
Triple Jump Monique Harris, UNM 41′ 7″ (5/19/01)
Shot Put Liz Toman, CSU 52′ 1″ (5/19/01)
Discus Liz Toman, CSU 174′ 4″ (5/19/01)
Javelin Andrea Batt, WYO 168’8″ (5/19/01)
Men
Javelin Dan Uffens, BYU 203′ 1″ (5/18/01) 10,000 meter Ben Ortega, UNM 30:02.00 (5/18/01)
1,500 meter Rob Vermillion, CSU 3:44.63 (5/19/01)
5,000 meter Teren Jameson, Utah 14:23.35 (5/19/01)
3,000 meter Steeplechase Shane Rogers, AFA 8:59.44 (5/18/01)