With both men’s and women’s squads heading to California to compete in separate tournaments, the U track and field team looked to continue its success at the San Diego State Invitational and the Azusa Pacific Meet of Champions this past weekend.
It did just that?earning five first-place finishes and a number of others in the top 10.
“We’re very excited?we’re right where we need to be,” track coach Lisa Collet said. “It’s been a tremendous season. We’ve been very successful individually and as a team.”
It has become an abnormality for Teren Jameson not to take first place in a tournament, and the Azusa Pacific Meet of Champions was abnormal in any way in that regard.
He won the 5,000-meter run by a margin of 10 seconds, and was not the only runner for the Utes to finish in the top 10, as teammates Lion Gallegos and Romney Stevens also finished near the top.
Nephi Tyler had one of the best performances for the men’s team, as he placed in the top-10 in two events. Tyler won the 1,500-meter run and finished sixth in the 800 meter run.
The third and final member of the men’s team to finish first in the meet was B.J. Christensen, who was the champion of the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
While the men competed at Azusa Pacific University, the women’s team traveled to San Diego State.
Elise Greenwood provided the best performance for either the men’s or the women’s team, as she finished first in both the 1,500-meter run and the 3,000-meter run.
Greenwood was the lone runner for the women’s team to finish first in the tournament.
The next-best finish was by April Jackson, who finished second in the 100-meter hurdles. Ute runners Kristy Slade and Erianne Allen also finished in the top 10 in the hurdles, placing fourth and ninth, respectively.
Autumn Smith was the only other runner besides Greenwood to place in two events for the women’s team, finishing seventh in the 200 meter dash and ninth in the 100-meter dash.
The Utes will go their separate ways again this upcoming weekend, as a few of the elite runners head to the Pomona Pitzer invitational in Pomona, Calif., a few more go to the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif., and the rest of the team competes at the Utah State Invitational in Logan.