CEDAR CITY, Utah– The Southern Utah University track and field program will compete in its inaugural Indoor WAC Championships on Friday, Feb. 24, and Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Podium in Spokane, Washington. The WAC released their pre-championship coaches poll rankings on Tuesday, and SUU's men's team is picked to finish in third, while the women are predicted to finish in sixth.
WAC Championship Info
Location: Spokane, Wash.
Venue: The Podium
Date: Feb 24-25
Live Results Friday Live Stream Saturday Live Stream
WAC Pre-Championship Coaches Poll Rankings
Southern Utah's men's team is predicted to finish only behind 2022 champion Grand Canyon and arch-rival Utah Valley, while the women currently sit in the middle of the pack in front of Abilene Christian and following Utah Valley.
2023 WAC Men's ITF Pre-Championship Coaches Poll
1.Grand Canyon
2. Utah Valley
3.Southern Utah
4.Stephen F. Austin
5.Abilene Christian
6.UT Arlington
7.Sam Houston
8.Tarleton
9.Seattle U
10.UTRGV
2023 WAC Women's ITF Pre-Championship Coaches Poll
1.NM State
2.Grand Canyon
3.Stephen F. Austin
4.Sam Houston
5.Utah Valley
6.Southern Utah
7.Abilene Christian
8.UT Arlington
9.Tarleton State
10.UTRGV
11.Seattle U
12. Utah Tech
Last Time Out
Husky Classic
McKeever fueled the Thunderbird's charge in the men's high jump. McKeever catapulted to an enormous jump of 7'½" to win the event and improve on his second-place all-time SUU ranking in the event. This performance also ranks Mckeever 20th in the nation and first in the WAC in the event.
On the women's side, Hughes battled to a first-place finish in the high jump. After matching two other jumpers for the top score, Hughes went to a jump-off and won the event with a leap of 5'7".
Madisan DeBos and Haley Tanne picked up stellar personal records in the 3000 meters. Tanne blistered to a time of 9:34.37 to move into fifth all-time in the SUU records books, while DeBos finished right behind with a 9:37.42, making her sixth all-time for the Thunderbirds.
Southern Utah also had impressive performances in the 3000 Meters. Santiago Gaitan ran to a time of 8:08.14 to take 38th place, and Travis Feeny finished in 55th place with an 8:15.87.
Whitworth Invitational
SUU snatched the top two spots in the long jump at the Whitworth Invitational. Christopher Kappen led things off for the Thunderbirds by winning the long jump with a leap of 23'9½", moving him into third all-time in the event for SUU. Astley Davis continued his successful indoor season with a jump of 23' 5 ½" to take second place.
Dominick Vasquez just missed out on his first event win of the season in the weight throw, taking second place with a rocket throw of 54'8 ¾". This performance also moves him into fifth place all-time in the Thunderbird record books.
Junior Jarom Smith grabbed his first event win this season in the high jump by clearing a height of 6' 7 ½".
The Thunderbirds had several sprinters compile new personal records or event wins. Jaedyn carpenter blazed to a first-place time in the 400 Meters with a personal record time of 48.25, pushing him into seventh all-time for SUU.
After inking his name into the Thunderbird record books earlier this season in the 60 meters, Cameron Beans clawed his way to tenth all-time for SUU in the 200 meters with a personal best time of 21.73.
Ricardo White jetted to a new personal best in the 60 meters with a time of 6.87 to take second place overall. This performance now secures eighth all-time for Southern Utah.
Jarom Smith won the high jump for the first time this season with a jump of 6'7 1/2".
SUU's women secured four new personal records in the 200-meter dash. Secret Mceuen cruised to a time of 24.76 to take second place and move into second all-time for SUU. Iana-Michovani Graham finished close behind Mceuen in sixth place with a new personal record time of 25.26. Savannah Nielson ran to a new personal best time of 25.79 to finish in 12th place and Ronnie Walker rounded things out for SUU in 13th place with a 25.83.
Jentry Skidmore won the long jump with a solid leap of 18 3 ¾", outjumping all of his other competitors by nearly a foot.
Freshman Adysen Pace ran new a collegiate personal best in the 400 meters with a time of 58.92 to take eighth place.
Ariana Baker nearly cracked the top three in the pole vault, taking fourth place by clearing a height of 11' ¾".
Thunderbird Notes for this weekend
Joren McKeever ranks 20th nationally and first in the WAC conference in the high jump with a mark of 7" ½'.
Jentry Skidmore has had a sensational indoor season earning three event wins in the long jump with a top leap of 19 8 ½', and moved into third place all-time in the heptathlon for Southern Utah with 3667 total points.
Astley Davis has broken the SUU record in the triple jump two times this indoor season. Davis initially broke the record at the NAU Lumberjacks Team Challenge with a 49" 5 ½', before shattering this record two weeks later at the NAU Ron Mann Classic with a 50" 6'.
Secret McEuen has had a stellar start to her SUU career, blistering to a combined four top-ten finishes in the 60 meters and 200 meters while pushing herself into sixth all-time in the SUU record books in the 200 meters with 25.04. McEuen also sits in fourth all-time in the 60 meters with a converted time of 7.72.
Dylan Gibson has been the epitome of consistency in 2023, earning two top-three finishes in the 400 meters, and moved into fifth all-time in the 200 meters with a win at NAU.
Madisan DeBos and Haley Tanne both hold two SUU school records in their respective distance events. DeBos is fifth all-time in the 5000 Meter with a 16:43.09 and eighth all-time in the mile off a time of 4:51.90. Tanne is currently sixth in the Thunderbird record books in the 3000 meters with a 9:34.78 and seventh in 5000 meters with a time of 16:49.85.
Isaiah Labra, Travis Feeny, and Santiago Gaitan climbed into SUU's top 10 in the 3000 meters this indoor season. Labra is seventh with a time of 8:07.57, Gaitan is ninth with 8:07.75, and Feeny rounds things out with an 8:12.56.
Ariana Baker snatched third place all-time for SUU in the pole vault with an 11"1 ¾'.
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