Full Release in PDF Format
BRYCE MILLER BECOMES ALL-AMERICAN
Missouri-Kansas City junior Bryce Miller finished in ninth place in the finals of the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships Friday with a time of 8:45.16. By virtue of his finish, Miller earns second team All-America honors.
An Ashland, Wis., native, this is Miller's second-straight second team All-America honor in the steeplechase, as he placed 14th in the event in 2015.
NICK TAYLOR FINISHES SENIOR SEASON OUT STRONG
Utah Valley senior sprinter Nicholas Taylor became an All-American Wednesday at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Taylor had his best performance of the day in the 100-meter dash where he ran a time of 10.35 seconds and finished 15th to earn second team All-America honors.
In the 200-meter dash, the Texas native ran a 20.98 to finish in 19th place and earn honorable mention honors.
Taylor is the third UVU track and field athlete and the first sprinter to qualify for the NCAA Final Rounds and is now the third UVU All-American in track and field.
10 QUALIFY TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP - WEST PRELIMINARY
The Western Athletic Conference will be represented by 10 student-athletes at the NCAA 2016 Outdoor Track and Field Championships West Preliminary being held May 26-28 at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Kansas.
Men
Bryce Miller, Missouri-Kansas City - 3,000 Steeplechase
Alex Yoxall, Missouri-Kansas City - Javelin Throw
Shaddye Melu, Seattle U - High Jump
Trac Norris, Utah Valley - 3,000 Steeplechase
Cole Eisenhour, Utah Valley - 110m Hurdles
Nicholas Taylor, Utah Valley - 100m Dash and 200m Dash
Women
Kimberly Salinas, NM State - Javelin Throw
Geneva Anderson, UT Rio Grande Valley - 400m Hurdles
Cristina Santiago, UT Rio Grande Valley - Hammer Throw
Savannah Berry, Utah Valley - 10,000m Run
The top 12 in each event at the regional will advance to finals at the NCAA Championships from June 8-11 in Eugene, Ore.
GRAND CANYON SWEEPS WAC OTF CHAMPIONSHIPS
Grand Canyon swept the 2016 WAC Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Chanpionships on Saturday at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Kan. It is the second championship for both the men's and women's teams this year, as the Antelopes also took home the WAC Indoor titles in February.
Entering the final day of competition in the top spot, Grand Canyon's women maintained the lead with the help of four first-place finishes, including eventual Outstanding Field Performer Tarasue Barnett's win in the shot put.
Utah Valley's women solidified their hold on second place overall with their own four gold medals, including Savannah Berry's second win of the meet (5,000m, 10,000m) on her way to being voted Outstanding Track Performer by the coaches.
NM State also turned in four first-place performances, while Kimberly Salinas was named Freshman of the Year and teammate Katara Nelson earned the High Point Award, tallying 21.50 points this week.
UT Rio Grande Valley's Geneva Anderson added a 400-meter hurdles gold medal to the Vaqueros' tally, and Missouri-Kansas City's Mallory Short finished first in the 100-meter hurdles, making it the third straight WAC outdoor championship that UMKC was represented atop the podium in the event.
For the men, Grand Canyon earned three first-place finishes, including a career-best time in the 800 meters by Brandon Gonzalez. Teammate Marcus Flannigan anchored the Antelopes' first-place 4x400m relay race and earned the High Point award, amassing 28.50 points on the week.
UMKC also took home three gold medals, including Bryce Miller's third consecutive WAC Outdoor title in the 5000 meters.
Seattle U tallied three first-place finishes as well, two of which captured by Shaddye Melu as he finished first in the 400 meters and defended his conference title in the high jump.
UT Rio Grande Valley's Paul May nabbed the top spot in the men's discus on his way to taking home the Freshman of the Year award.
Utah Valley went home with two of the men's individual awards and five first-place finishes. Nicholas Taylor repeated as the 100-meter champion and added the 200-meter title on his way to earning the Outstanding Track Performer award, and teammate Daven Russell garnered Outstanding Field Performer honors.
Grand Canyon head coach Tom Flood received Men's Coach of the Year and Women's Coach of the Year honors.
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS ANNOUNCED
Men's Individual Awards (voted upon by the coaches)
Outstanding Track Performer: Nick Taylor, Utah Valley
Outstanding Field Performer: Daven Russell, Utah Valley
Freshman of the Year: Paul May, UT Rio Grande Valley
High Point Award Winner: Marcus Flannigan, Grand Canyon, 28.50 points
Coach of the Year: Tom Flood, Grand Canyon
Women's Individual Awards (voted upon by the coaches)
Outstanding Track Performer: Savannah Berry, Utah Valley
Outstanding Field Performer: Tarasue Barnett, Grand Canyon
Freshman of the Year: Kimberly Salinas, NM State
High Point Award Winner: Katara Nelson, NM State, 21.50 points
Coach of the Year: Tom Flood, Grand Canyon
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. 3 mark in the NCAA.
UTAH VALLEY REGIONAL POLL
The Wolverine Men are currently 9th in the USTFCCCA NCAA Division 1 Regional Index.
WAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2016 WAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships were hosted by Missouri-Kansas City and held in Kansas City, Mo. from May 11-14. Grand Canyon swept this year's title.
NCAA REGIONALS - The 2016 Outdoor Track and Field Regional Championships took place in Lawrence, Kan. from May 26-28. The WAC was represented by 10 student-athletes.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS - The 2016 Outdoor Track and Field National Championships took place in Eugene, Ore. from June 8-11. The WAC was represented by two student-athletes. UMKC's Bryce Miller placed ninth in the steeplechase for second team All-America honors and Utah Valley's Nick Taylor placed 15th in the 100m dash and 19th in the 200m dash in the semifinals.