Wyoming Track and Field Teams Make Impact in Seattle and Lubbock – Sports Illustrated

From the desk of Sean O’Sullivan/Wyoming Athletic Department

The Wyoming track & field teams recorded improvements on their season bests on the opening day of a weekend in which the distance runners competed at sea level in Seattle, and the rest of the team was in competition in Lubbock, Tex.

“We had a lot of personal- and season-best efforts (Friday),” said head coach Bryan Berryhill. “It was a very good start to the weekend, and (Saturday) will be another great opportunity to take a step forward before the conference championships in two weeks.”

In Seattle at the Husky Classic, senior Michael Downey recorded the fourth-fastest 3,000m time in Cowboy history, crossing the line in 8:09.13 to finish 38 overall. Junior Harry Ewing finished 56 in the same race with a time of 8:16.69. In the 5,000m run, junior Christopher Henry finished 44 in 14:21.13, while senior Paul Roberts was 54 with a time of 14:34.40, in the first attempts at that distance this year for those Cowboys.

For the Cowgirls, senior Kacey Doner ran the 3,000m in 9:48.77 to place 61, while sophomore Katelyn Mitchem crossed the line in the 5,000m race in 17:44.35 to place 65 in her first attempt at that distance during her college career.

At the Texas Tech Shootout, Cowboy freshman Samuel Schneider posted the highest finish for UW, placing second in the high jump open contest after clearing 6-4.75. Freshman Hunter Brown and sophomore Pete Mead both cleared 6-2.75, with Brown tying for fourth and Mead tying for eighth after judge’s decisions.

In the long jump open, Brown finished seventh overall with a leap of 22-11.75, while junior Alec Richardson posted an indoor career-best of 22-7.25 to place 11.

In the weight throw invite, junior Kirk Unland placed seventh with a best throw of 60-11.25. He has cleared 60 feet in every competition this season, and is the only thrower in the Mountain West to clear 60 feet this year. In the open competition, freshman Mikey Derock finished 14 with a throw of 45-10.

On the track, senior Jace Marx finished 30 with a season-best time of 21.99, while sophomore Roman Smith ran a career-best race, crossing the line in 22.12 to place 39.

For the Cowgirls, sophomore Jasmyne Cooper placed fifth in the 800m run with a season-best time of 2:12.46. That distance was also kind to sophomores Julia Kay O’Neil and Kaylee Kearse, who each posted career-fast times of 2:16.55 and 2:16.84 to place 15 and 16, respectively.

Sophomore Shayla Howell placed seventh in the long jump invite, leaping 19 feet, six inches. In the high jump, senior Anissa Warner tied her career-best height by clearing 5-5.25 to place in a tie for 10.

In the weight throw open, junior Addison Henry finished 10 with a toss of 52-10.75, while senior Anna Gillis recorded a career-best mark of 52-1.75 to place 11.