Wow! What a day for the Utes!!! It started in Ames, IA with the fourth fastest mile time in school history (4:56.02) set by freshman Amanda Mergaert. It was only her second time running that race at the collegiate level. She won the unseeded sections and was 15th in all sections combined. Solid efforts by the other three freshman on the Iowa trip followed in the 800 meter and 400 meter races. Then it was the Seattle groups turn to grab that momentum and literally run, throw, and jump with it.
Sophomore Lucy Yates highlighted the day with a NCAA provisional qualifying mark (2:07.60) in the 800 meter run. That time moves her into second on the all time Utah list and surpasses her personal best by nearly three seconds. Langley Iverson followed that up with a lifetime best clearance of 5-9 3/4 in the high jump on her first attempt. That mark was .01cm short of the NCAA provisional mark. She now stands third in the all-time Utah record books. Fellow Galena HS alum (Reno, NV) Alyssa Abbott ran the first 3,000 meter race of her collegiate career and promptly moved into second place in the Utah record books with her 9:34.17 clocking. That effort placed the junior sixth in her heat, 18th overall, and was just short of the NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 9:32.00. Also in that race was former Ute runner and current volunteer assistant, Shayla Houlihan. Her goal was the 9:27.00 clocking required for entry into the USA Indoor National Championship meet in two weeks. She took over a dawdling opening pace (5:06 at 1600 and 6:21 at 2K) and closed in 3:02 over the last 1K to run a lifetime best of 9:23.82 and punch a ticket to her first ever US National Championship race.
Other notable performances included a personal best clearance of 12-4 by freshman Theresa Waybright in the pole vault. Freshmen 400 meter runners Ashley Mosley (56.99) and Alyssa Johnson (57.13) won their respective heats running season best times. The 4x400 meter relay team ran a season best time of 3:47.79 which is fourth all time at Utah. Johnson, Mosely, and Yates were joined by senior Chelsey Kaplar on that relay. Senior thrower Sarah Grimm finished fourth overall in the weight throw with a toss of 59-5 3/4.
It was a great weekend, maybe one of the best in Utah school history in terms of top level performances. I thought all of the athletes responded well to national level competition at both venues. We had a bunch of personal bests and all-time school best performances. Even those who didn't have their best day still performed at a high level and that will help them continue to improve. Lucy got caught up in traffic in the final straightaway so we know she can go faster. Langley competes at a high level every week. Having Alyssa return to national level form is a credit to her perseverance after dealing with multiple injuries. Grimm regained some confidence after a couple of sub par performances by her standards. The freshmen are learning and growing quickly which is really exciting when you think about the future of the program. We still have a few things to clean up and some sharpening that needs to take place before the conference championships in two weeks.
Having a former Ute continue to improve and compete at the highest level the Shayla has this season is exciting for everyone in the program.
The weather in Ames, IA was slightly less than welcoming. Record amounts of snowfall and extremely cold temperatures have led to drifting and snow piles everywhere as witnessed in the picture above.
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