Mannova and Kangogo Lead Track Teams

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FAYETTEVILLE -- For the eighth straight year, the BYU women's track and field team placed in the top 20 at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. The BYU women's track and field team placed 13th and the men's team placed 27th at the meet in Fayetteville, Ark.

The women's team scored 15 points, with LSU winning the women's title and scoring 62 points. In competition on Friday, BYU's distance medley relay team placed second with a time of 11:06.81, setting a new school record.

On Saturday, junior Michaela Mannova placed fifth in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 9:11.61 and set a school record by more than two seconds. Senior Jamie Cottle placed sixth in the mile with a time of 4:43.40, in what women's head coach Craig Poole called "a very physical race."

"I almost fell twice," Cottle said. "I was bleeding all over my legs from other people's spike, but I think that helped me not focus on being tired. It felt really good at the finish."

The men's team scored nine points and finished 27th. Arkansas placed first with 52 points. Friday, junior Trent Powell placed third in the pole vault to score six points for the Cougars. In Saturday's competition, sophomore Kip Kangogo was the highest finisher for BYU, placing sixth in the 3,000-meter run in a time of 7:59.16.

"I'm happy. I think I ran well," Kangogo remarked. "The pace was slow and then it picked up, and there was a lot of boxing going on. It was a really technical race."

Kangogo said his plan was to stay in the top three, but after getting pinched in the inside lane it was difficult to get out. Also competing for the men, sophomore Nate Robison placed 10th in the mile run with a time of 4:08.20.

Men's head coach Mark Robison said, "We hoped we'd score some more points, but we had three All-Americans, so we had a good meet."

Referring to Robison and Kangogo, Coach Robison said, "Those guys are just sophomores, so we'll do it again next year."

Powell, Kangogo and Robison earned All-American honors for their performances. For the women, the distance medley relay team of Kassi Andersen, Aneta Lemiesz, Michaela Mannova and Jennifer Rockwell earned All-American honors. Cottle was named an All-American for her finish in the mile and Mannova earned another All-American citation in the 3,000-meter run.

BYU Finishers
Women
DMR -- Andersen, Lemiesz, Mannova, Rockwell, 11:06.81 (2nd)
Long jump -- Nikki Hughes, 18-03.25 (16th)
Mile -- Jamie Cottle, 4:43.40 (6th)
3,000m -- Michaela Mannova, 9:11.61 (5th)
5,000m -- Lindsey Thomsen, 16:26.10 (13th)
5,000m -- Katie Martin, 16:37.33 (15th)
Men
Pole vault -- Trent Powell, 17-7.75 (3rd)
Pole vault -- Jeremy Kemp (NH)
Mile -- Nate Robison, 4:08.20 (10th)
3,000m -- Kip Kangogo, 7:59.16 (6th)

PROVO -- The BYU men's and women's track and field teams will compete at the Texas Relays and the Utah State Triangular this weekend.

The USU Triangular will take place Friday in Logan, Utah, and will boast competition between Utah State, Weber State and BYU. Field events will begin at 1:30 p.m. and running events will go from 2:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.

The 76th Clyde Littlefied Texas Relays will be hosted by the University of Texas April 3-6. Some of the top collegiate track and field programs in the nation will compete at the event, including Texas, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, BYU, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, LSU, Nebraska, Oregon, Stanford, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Washington State.

In addition to collegiate competition, some of the nations top professional athletes are scheduled to compete at the Texas Relays. Olympic gold medalists Maurice Green, Tim Montgomery, Jon Drummond, Inger Miller and Chryste Gaines will be the top names competing at the event.