LARAMIE – The University of Wyoming men’s and women’s track and field teams had a day for the ages during Friday’s Cowpoke Open on Memorial 8 Track at the Louis S. Madrid Sports Complex.
The host Cowboys and Cowgirls took advantage of the warm, sunny weather to combine for 10 all-time top-10 performances, three facility records and one school record at the meet.
“Without a doubt, our kids rose to the challenge today,” UW head coach Bryan Berryhill said. “We had a team meeting last night and I gave them a goal of trying to get 12 top-10 performances and two school records. I told them it seems we perform well here, but it doesn’t just happen. It’s not a magical track. We have to go out there and make it happen. They went out there today and showed a lot of fight.”
Freshman Ricky Faure was the highlight of the day, as he ran an altitude-converted 1:47.59 to win the 800 meters. His facility-record time was a personal best and moved him up to second in Cowboy history in the event, while ranking first in the Mountain West and 13th in the NCAA this season. His flat time of 1:48.90 was just four hundredths of a second away from the MW’s all-time top five.
Recently, Berryhill was reported saying Faure was the “most talented athlete” he has ever coached.
Graduate student Harry Fisher notched a personal-best 47.58 to win the 400 meters for fifth in UW history and third in the MW this season. Recently, Berryhill said Faure was the “most talented athlete” he has ever coached.
Senior Jason Roascio climbed to fourth in Cowboy history in the 200 meters after crossing the line first in the event on Friday in a personal-best 21.30. Faure and Fisher teamed with junior Lance Loken and freshman Kevin Blackett to run 3:10.43 in the 4×400-meter relay, good for second in school history, while junior Amos Bowen won the steeplechase in a personal-best 8:56.68, eighth in UW history. Senior Aaron Derner roundded out the Cowboys’ event titles with a time of 14:20.25 in the 5,000 meters.
The Cowgirls were just as impressive, led by sophomore Audra DeStefano and senior Holly Page. DeStefano set facility and school records by winning the steeplechase in 10:18.51. Her time leads the MW this season and is 34th in the country.
Page set a facility record by 14 seconds in the 5,000 meters by running a personal-best 16:33.77 to move to second in Cowgirl history in the event, just two seconds away from another school record.
Senior Erin Kirby notched a personal-best time of 58.45 for second in the 400-meter hurdles, which keeps her third in UW history in the event. Her time leads the conference and ranks 23rd in the nation.
Fellow senior Shreese Daniels threw a personal-best 195-8 in the hammer to climb to fourth in Cowgirl history, while placing second in the MW and 39th in the NCAA. Freshman Madison Seaman notched a personal-best mark of 156-2 in the discus for 10th in UW history in the event.
The Cowgirls also got event titles from Kerry White in the 800 meters at 2:10.43 and sophomore Shana Wilcoxson in the triple jump with a personal-best leap of 37-8 3/4.
Wyoming is off for the next 12 days before returning to action at the MW Outdoor Championships on May 13 in San Diego, Calif.
