SEATTLE, Wash. – Kelsey Brown, a transfer from the University of Oklahoma, finished first in the 800 meters during the Washington Invitational Saturday with a time of 2:04.94, which ranks her fifth in the nation and fourth on the BYU all-time record board.

“It feels really good to have ran like I did today,” Brown said. “After transferring from Oklahoma, training at BYU has been a bit different, but it’s also been a good thing for my running. I’ve wanted to be at this point for a long time, and I’m glad it happened so early in the season.”

Brown’s time of 2:04.94 is also a new personal record by nearly three seconds. This was her first 800-meter race this season. In addition to Brown’s personal record, seven other runners recorded new personal records in their respective events.

Joining Brown in the 800 was freshman walk-on Rachel Stewart. Stewart finished 12^th overall with a new personal record of 2:13.21.

Other highlights from the Washington Invitational include top finishes in the 400 meter, the mile and the 3,000 meter. In the 400, Nicole Rudd finished second overall with a time of 56.45, a new personal record and a school-best time in 2013.

In the mile, freshmen Erica Birk and Laura Young finished second and third with personal-best times of 4:53.22 and 4:54.24, respectively. Birk improved on her personal best by nearly seven seconds.

Ashleigh Warner (4:57.48) also recorded a personal best time in the mile placing seventh. Sarah Yingling (4:58.91) finished ninth.

In the 3,000, freshman Natalie Shields finished first with a time of 9:47.44. Junior Andrea Nelson Harrison finished second in 9:48.74. Both finished with personal bests.

“Overall, to have nine athletes record personal bests in the same night is a great sign for so early in the year,” head coach Patrick Shane said. “All of the girls ran great, and we couldn’t have asked for a better performance.”

Full results from the Washington Invitational can be found here.

To read about Day 1 of the Washington Invitational, click here.

Air Force Invitational

During the final day of the Air Force Invitational, Rachel Fisher finished first in the pole vault for the third straight week with a vault of 4.00m (13-1.5). Kelli Ehardt finished second with the same vault.

In the 60-meter final, Aubrey Hale finished second with a time of 7.71. Arlene Gowar finished seventh in 7.91.

In the 400 final, Kaylee Packham finished third in 57.56 followed by Angela Shields, who finished fifth in 59.21.

Results from the final day of the Air Force Invitational can be found here.

To read about Day 1 of the Air Force Invitational, click here.

For Day 2, click here.

PROVO, Utah –The BYU women’s track and field team sends portions of its team to two different areas of the country this weekend for the Air Force Team Challenge and Washington Invitational.

The distance runners will compete in Seattle, Wash., Jan. 25-26, and the rest of the team will compete in Colorado Springs, Colo., Jan. 24-26.

“Colorado Springs is at a very high altitude, which is not ideal for distance runners,” head coach Patrick Shane said. “Our distance runners, as well as many of the top distance runners in the country, will be in Seattle competing. Colorado Springs is, however, great for our power events. The altitude helps their performance.”

The Air Force Invitational begins Thursday evening with the pentathlon in which Elizabeth Wilson will compete for the first time this season. The past two meets Wilson has competed in the long jump (5.42m), triple jump (11.97m), high jump (1.58m) and shot put (11.80m) as single events in order to prepare herself for this weekend.

The throwers will compete in their first away meet this weekend at the Air Force Invitational. Brianna French and Deezbaa Whaley led the Cougars during the BYU Invitational in the shot put and weight throw. French finished sixth in the shot put with a throw of 12.42m (40-09.00), and Whaley finished second in the weight throw with a mark of 17.96m (58-11.00).

The Washington Invitational begins Friday evening with the distance medley relay (DMR) and the 5,000 meters in BYU’s first go at these events this season. The DMR team will consists of Natalie Stewart in the 400, Ashleigh Warner in the 800, Kelsey Brown in the 1200, and Candace Eddy Carlisle in the mile.

Kathryn Vidmar, Sarah Darby and Nicole Nielsen are set to compete in the 5,000.

Last week at the Cherry & Silver Invitational Rachel Fisher finished first in the pole vault with a vault of 4.10m, her best jump in over a year.

BYU’s top 4x400 relay team, consisting of Angela Shields, Kaylee Packham, Natalie Stewart and Nicole Rudd, finished third with a time of 3:49.94.

Results for the Air Force Invitational can be found at DirectAthletics.com.

Results for the Washington Invitational can be found at GoHuskies.com.

Live video for the Washington Invitational can be viewed on the Pac-12 Network.