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WAC TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK ANNOUNCED
MEN
Missouri-Kansas City's Bryce Miller and Grand Canyon's Marcus Flannigan have been named Western Athletic Conference Track and Field Athletes of the week, respectively, for April 25 - May 1.
Miller, a junior from Ashland, Wis. (Ashland HS) one-upped himself on Sunday, May 1, to set a new personal record in the event at one of the most presti- gious track meets in the country, the Payton Jordan Invitational in Stanford, California. Miller's new personal record of 8:38.59 is now the fifth-fastest time in NCAA Division I this season.
Flannigan, a junior from Chandler, Ariz. (Chandler HS) was the runner-up in the men's long jump at the Steve Scott Invitational with a jump of 7.51m (24-07.25). The mark was 0.07m shy of his season-best, which currently is the best mark in the conference by 16 inches. In addition to the long jump, Flannigan also placed 12th in the 200m with a time of 21.66, was the third leg of the second place 4x100m relays team, which ran 41.28 and was the anchor leg of the victorious 4x400m relay team, which ran a season-best and WAC-leading time of 3:09.91.
Other track nominees: Grand Canyon's Anthony Phelps placed fourth in the 400m hurdles with a time of 53.32, just off his season-best time. Phelps has the No. 1 time in the WAC this season in the 400m hurdles. He also placed 15th in the 110m hurdles with a time of 14.86 and ran the third leg of the winning 4x400m relay which is tops in the conference with a time of 3:09.91. Seattle U's Matt Seidel finished the 5,000-meter run (“A†group) in second place with a time of 14:31.47 to give himself a new outdoor per- sonal record in the event. That time gives him a No. 2 ranking in the WAC. UT Rio Grande Valley's Yariel Matute posted an eighth place finish out of 38 runners in the 400-meter dash at the Bobcat Classic. He crossed the finish line with a new career-best time of 47.41 seconds, which ranks second in program history. He also helped his 4x400-meter relay team to a third place finish after they posted a time of 3:16.24. Utah Valley's Jordan Peterson ran a personal record 21.42 second time in the 200m dash and earned third place in the event on the day.
Other field nominees: Missouri-Kansas City's Jeremy Harr took second place in the men's triple jump at the Rock Chalk Classic, posting a leap of 14.82 meters. Harr also placed 10th in the long jump with a mark of 6.65 meters. Seattle U's Devon Walker set a new outdoor school record in the hammer throw with a throw of 47.54 meters (156'-00â€). The distance gave him a fifth-place finish, and a No. 6 ranking in the WAC in the event. UT Rio Grande Valley's Javier Carretero posed a sixth place finish out of 18 throwers in the men's hammer throw at the Bobcat Classic after a throw of 58.22 meters. Utah Valley's Daven Russell posted a 16.67m mark in the shot put, earning him sixth place overall. On the weekend, Russell also threw two other career bests, with a toss of 45.65m in the discus, and a throw of 57.92m in the hammer for third place in the event.
WOMEN
UT Rio Grande Valley's Geneva Anderson and Grand Canyon's Tarasue Barnett have been named Western Athletic Conference Track and Field Athletes of the Week, respectively, for April 25-May 1.
Anderson, a senior from Austin, TX (Round Rock High School) set a new career-best in the 400-meter hurdles as she crossed the finish line with a time of 59.49 seconds to finish in third place at the Bobcat Classic. Her new career-best time now ranks her second fastest in program history. Anderson also helped her 4x400-meter relay team to a fourth place finish with a time of 3:48.28, which ranks second fastest in program history. The senior ranks No. 74 in the NCAA in the 400-meter hurdles.
Barnett, the junior from Kingston Jamaica (Edwin Allen) won the women's discus with a throw of 61.28m (201-00), breaking her own school record of 58.99m earlier this season at the Aztec Invitational. Barnett's record throw came on her fourth attempt of the competition to take the lead and hit the Olympic A standard for the event. The junior from Kingston, Jamaica is currently owns the No. 2 mark in the NCAA and ranks No. 18 in the world.
Other track nominees: Grand Canyon's Bailie Jones broke her own school record at the Steve Scott t Invitational on Friday with a time of 2:13.50, breaking her mark of 2:13.54 set the week before at the Beach Invitational. Missouri-Kansas City's Mallory Short helped the UMKC women's 4x100-meter relay team take third place at the Rock Chalk Classic with a team time of 46.97 seconds. Short also posted a fourth-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.84 seconds, and clocked a new person record in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.55 seconds. NM State's Cristina Amberg finished the 800m at the UTEP Invitational as the top collegiate finisher with a time of 2:14.48. She is third in the conference in this event. Seattle U's Elena Smith set a new outdoor personal record in the 5,000 meter run with a time of 17:15.66. That time was good for a ninth-place finish in a field of 23, and gives her a No. 3 ranking in the WAC. Utah Valley's Alena Gillespie finished in third place in the 100m dash with an impressive time of 11.89 seconds. Gillespie also ran a personal record time of 24.24 seconds in the 200m dash, earning second place overall in the event.
Other field nominees: NM State's Kayli Farmer finished second in the Javelin Throw at the prestigious Penn Relay Carnival with a mark of 44.53m (146 ft. 1 in.), a new season high for her. She is currently second in the WAC in this event. Seattle U's Mandie Maddux took second place in the high jump in a field of 13 with a height of 1.66 meters (5'-5.25â€), breaking her old outdoor school record in the event and setting a new one. That mark in the high jump gives her a No. 1 ranking in the WAC. UT Rio Grande Valley's Leocajuan Williams posted a third place finish in the triple jump out of 13 jumpers at the Bobcat Classic with a leap of 12.19 meters. Williams was one of three to post a mark past the 12-meter mark. Utah Valley's Aimee Wheeler earned sixth place in the long jump with a leap of 5.49m.
STEEPLECHASE IN THE WAC
Two athletes from the WAC are ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA. UMKC's Bryce Miller one-upped himself on Sunday, May 1, to set a new personal record in the event at one of the most prestigious track meets in the country, the Payton Jordan Invitational in Stanford, California. Miller's new personal record of 8:38.59 is now the fifth-fastest time in NCAA Division I this season. Joining Miller in the top 10 is Utah Valley's Trac Norris. Norris rankes No. 9 in the NCAA with a time of 8:40.88.
GRAND CANYON'S TARASUE BARNETT
Tarasue Barnett won the women's discus with a throw of 61.28m (201-00), breaking her own school record of 58.99m earlier this season at the Aztec Invitational. Barnett's record throw came on her fourth attempt of the competition to take the lead and hit the Olympic A standard for the event. The junior from Kingston, Jamaica is currently owns the No. 2 mark in the NCAA and ranks No. 18 in the world.
UTAH VALLEY REGIONAL POLL
The Wolverine Men are currently 10th in the USTFCCCA NCAA Division 1 Regional Index.
WAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2016 WAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships are hosted by Missouri-Kansas City and held in Kansas City, Mo. from May 11-14. Last year, the Utah Valley won and the Missouri-Kansas City women took home the championship.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2016 Outdoor Track and Field National Championships will take place in Eugene, Ore. from June 8-11.
June 8-11, 2016
Location: Eugene, Ore.
Facility: Hayward Field