SEATTLE, Wash./POCATELLO, Idaho - Jan. 29 - The Thunderbirds
had a successful weekend as they split up for the first time this season,
competing in the UW Invitational in Seattle, Wash. and the Mountain States
Games in Pocatello, Idaho. The teams had record-breaking performances in both
locations.
"It's really a testimony of how focused the team is right
now," said head coach Eric Houle. "This continual improvement really sets the
stage for next week's meets in Boise and Albuquerque."
Shaye Maurer led the Thunderbirds in Seattle, setting a new top
Southern Utah record in the women's pentathlon with her fifth-place finish and
score of 3572. Maurer had previously held the first-place position with a score
of 3426, set in 2010. Wade Nielson also made SUU history, setting a new top
record in the heptathlon with his 13th-place finish and score of 4899.
The sprinters were led by Christina Day, who finished the
400-meter run in second place. Her time of 55.62 seconds fell just short of her
own top school record of 54.93 seconds. Day and Maurer also helped the women's
relay team to a victory as they, along with teammates Kaylee Coates and Kylie
Frandsen, finished the 4x400-meter relay in ninth place with a time of 3:54.15.
The distance teams also broke into the record books as
freshman Eric Sandall finished the mile run with a 20th-place finish and time
of 4:12.45, ranking seventh in the SUU records. Kirsten Bradford led the women
in the mile, crossing the finish line in 29th place with a time of 5:02.58.
Bradford's time ranks ninth in the school records
Jamie Smith led the women in the 3000-meter run with a
21st-place finish and a time of 9:57.71, ranking fourth in the school records.
Bradford also had a record finish in the 3000-meter run, coming in 27th place
with a time of 10:04.42 and ranking sixth in Southern Utah's records.
The jumpers were led by Daney Nelson, who leapt to a
four-way tie for second place in the high jump and set a new first-place record
for SUU with a mark of 6-11.00.
The Thunderbirds in Pocatello also had great success this
weekend, as Kylie Murakami finished fourth in both the long jump and the triple
jump at the Mountain States Games. Her marks of 17-2 in the long jump and
37-7.75 in the triple jump rank seventh and fourth respectively in the school
records.
Alex Anderson led the men in the triple jump, taking second
place with a mark of 46-4.75 and setting a new first-place record for Southern
Utah. Kyle Kopp finished third in both the long jump (22-7.75) and triple jump
(44-8), ranking third in SUU's top ten for the triple jump.
Once again Kayla Kovar led the throwers, finishing second in
the shot put with a mark of 46-8.25. Kovar finished sixth in the weight throw,
ranking third in SUU history with her mark of 52-0.5.
The distance teams also did well in Pocatello as Lizzy
Butler took second-place in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:24.09. Kevin
Sandall led the men with a third-place finish in the mile (4:27.11) while Kevin
Robison finished third in the 3000-meter open (9:03.04).
The Thunderbirds will be back next weekend to compete at the
UNM Classic in Albuquerque, N.M. and the Bronco Open in Boise, Idaho.
