FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The University of Wyoming track & field team was successful in all event areas at the Fum McGraw Open on Saturday in Fort Collins, Colo., posting a number of personal bests and UW all-time top 10 marks. The Cowboys won two of their three dual matchups, defeating Colorado and Northern Colorado, while the Cowgirls won against the same two squads.
“The kids competed really well,” head coach Bryan Berryhill said. “We improved upon a week ago, and that’s what we talked about – just getting better each week. I thought it was a successful day across the board for us.”
Sophomore sprinter Jerayah Davis chopped a huge chunk of time off her personal best in the 100 meters, clocking a time of 11.56 seconds to win the event and move up to No. 2 on the UW all-time list behind Kereston Thomas (11.50 in 2014). Davis also ran a leg on the Cowgirls’ victorious women’s 4×100-meter relay team that edged Colorado State by a hundredth of a second with a time of 45.39, good enough for No. 3 on the UW all-time list.
The men’s 4×100-meter relay team of Kevin Blackett, Jace Marx, Jordan Charles and Sam Kirkeide followed their brilliant performance from the Jerry Quiller Classic by running an impressive time of 40.69, moving into a tie for sixth place on Wyoming’s all-time list for the event after sliding into the No. 8 spot the previous week. Kirkeide finished third in the men’s 100 meters, clocking a time of 10.85.
Jackson Wood continued his brilliant 2016-17 track & field season with a personal best in the 200 meters. The sophomore posted a time of 21.49 seconds, taking third place and moving him into a tie for sixth place on Wyoming’s all-time list for the event just a week after he made the program’s top 10 for the outdoor 400 meters.
“He’s just racing really well right now,” said Berryhill about Wood. “He’s in a really good spot in his training and racing mentality.”
Bryce Ailshie clocked a time of 47.80 in the 400 meters on Saturday, easily winning the event and moving past Wood into the No. 8 spot on the UW all-time list for the event. On the women’s side of the 400 meters, Melina Harris posted another personal best to take third at 55.92. Ailshie’s fellow middle distance star Ricky Faure won the men’s 800 meters, clocking an adjusted time of 1:49.73 for the win while Calum Kepler took second and Phillip Thomas finished third.
Cassidy Meade won the 800 meters on the women’s side for the second consecutive meet, clocking an adjusted time of 2:11.43 while freshman Calbi Ausmann took second place. Kerry White was third in the women’s 1,500 meters, posting an adjusted time of 4:34.84. Senior Megan Brunette won the women’s 5,000 meters with an adjusted time of 17:14.35, moving her to No. 9 on the UW all-time list for the event.
Senior Scott Carter won the triple jump with a mark of 48 feet, 1.25 inches. The Cowboys had two winners in the throws events, as Damon Unland took the men’s hammer throw with a personal best toss of 194-2 while Hap Frketich began his outdoor collegiate career with a victory in the javelin at 191-6. Martin Fitzwater took third in the men’s shot put, tossing an outdoor personal best of 52-4.5.
On the women’s side of the field events, Ja’la Henderson was the Cowgirls’ lone winner as she leapt 19-5.5 for a new personal best in the long jump. The mark moves Henderson to No. 8 all-time at UW for the event. Emelda Malm-Annan had an impressive beginning to her outdoor season by taking second place in the hammer throw with a toss of 188-8. Her mark is good for No. 8 on the UW all-time list for the event. Kayla York placed third in the discus at 144-5, while Hannah Carr was the runner-up in the shot put with a personal best mark of 47-1.
The Fum McGraw Open was scored as a four-team dual meet. The Cowboys defeated Colorado, 94-55, and Northern Colorado, 98-38, while dropping their matchup with Colorado State, 103-66. The Cowgirls earned a victory over Colorado, 90-61, while also beating Northern Colorado, 90-72. They also lost their matchup to Colorado State, 101-69.
“As an overall team we had a really nice performance,” Berryhill said. “When you have a nice weather day in this region this time of year, you’ve got to take advantage of it. We’re in some of our hardest training right now, but [the athletes] are still approaching it like they can go out and PR. I thought the focus was there.”
The Cowboys and Cowgirls will stay on the Front Range for two more weekends, heading to Northern Colorado’s Tom Benich Invite in Greeley, Colo., on April 1 before returning to Boulder, Colo., on April 7-8 for the CU Invite.
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