COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Junior Audra DeStefano ran the second-fastest mile in school history to highlight three more all-time performances for the University of Wyoming men’s and women’s track and field teams on Saturday at the Air Force Invite.
The Cowboys and Cowgirls combined for seven marks in Wyoming’s top-10 records during the two-day meet at the Cadet Field House.
“I thought over the two days our teams competed really well across the board in every event area,” UW head coach Bryan Berryhill said. “If you compare this to our performance at the same meet last year, it blows it away. Our kids brought everything this weekend and were very focused.”
DeStefano’s altitude-converted time of 4:52.48 in the mile placed her third in the field on Saturday, while ranking second in Cowgirl history and 35th in the NCAA this season. Senior McKenzie Brogan won the 400 meters in a season-best 55.95, just one tenth of a second away from her personal best, which currently leads the MW.
Freshman Ja’la Henderson was third in the 60 meters in 7.68 followed by sophomore Melina Harris in 7.70 for fifth. Junior Mikalah Skates ran 8.93 in the 60-meter hurdles for fifth, while sophomore Lauren Hamilton was sixth in the 3,000 meters at 10:17. The Cowgirls also combined to finish runner-up in the mile relay at 3:54.
Junior Jordan Charles moved into Wyoming’s all-time top 10 in the 200 meters on Friday and moved up one spot to seventh on Saturday by running a personal-best 21.66 for fifth. The time ranks third in the MW this season. Charles was also runner-up in the 60-meter hurdles at 7.94, while senior Scott Carter was fourth in a personal-best 8.08, which keeps him fourth in Cowboy history in the event.
Carter also won the triple jump with a season-best leap of 50-8 3/4. Sophomore Ricky Faure clocked a time of 1:52 for second in the 800 meters and was followed in fifth by freshman Bryce Ailshie at 1:55. Sophomore Jonah Henry placed fifth in the mile in 4:16.
Wyoming returns to action by hosting the Powder River Dual with Montana State on Saturday in Gillette, Wyo., at the Campbell County Rec Center. Events start at 12:30 p.m. MT.
Day One
The University of Wyoming men’s and women’s track and field teams opened the first day of the Air Force Invite at Cadet Field House on a strong note, as the Cowboys and Cowgirls combined for four all-time top-10 marks on Friday.
Freshmen Jerayah Davis and Ja’la Henderson improved upon marks in the 60 meters, as did senior Sabina Sandberg in the high jump, while junior Jordan Charles broke into the 200 meters.
“I think overall it was a really good meet today. We advanced a lot of people in the sprints and saw kids compete with a lot of spirit, which is what we were looking for.” – UW Head Coach Bryan Berryhill.
After posting the fifth-fastest 60 meters by a Cowgirl last week, Davis ran five hundredths of a second faster on Friday with a time of 7.53 to notch the second-fastest times in prelims. It also moved her up to fourth in UW’s record books and is the third fastest in the Mountain West this season.
Henderson was right behind her in a personal-best 7.63 that kept her ninth in school history in the event. She advanced to Saturday’s final as well, along with sophomore Melina Harris in 7.80 and senior Kereston Thomas in 7.82. Sandberg tied a personal best by clearing 5-8 3/4 to win the high jump and stay second in Cowgirl history in the event.
Other highlights for the Cowgirls included sophomore Lauren Hamilton winning the mile in an altitude-converted 5:05, while freshman Emelda Malm-Annan and Henderson were runner-up in the weight throw and long jump, respectively. Malm-Annan threw 61-2 and Henderson leapt 18-10 1/2. Senior McKenzie Brogan advanced in the 400 meters with the top time of 56.44, while junior Mikalah Skates did so as well in the 60-meter hurdles in 8.96.
Charles ran 21.94 in the 200 meters for the eighth-fastest time in Cowboy history and fourth fastest this season in the MW. Sophomore Clay Carlson posted a personal-best 49.69 in the 400, as both advanced to Saturday’s final in their event. Also for the Cowboys, senior Tyler Anderson won the weight throw with a toss of 61-4 3/4.
