Ward, Bringhurst, Dalton to represent Cougars at NCAA Championships

PROVO, Utah—BYU men’s track & field will send Jared Ward, Braydon Bringhurst and Chase Dalton to Albuquerque, N.M., this weekend to compete in the NCAA Indoor Championships to conclude the indoor season.

“I think all three have an excellent chance to score points for our team,” head coach Ed Eyestone said. “Now that he is healthy, I think Chase Dalton will surprise some people. Braydon Bringhurst has been one of the most consistent pole vaulters in the nation and Jared Ward has some lofty goals. We have a good chance to have all three come home as all-Americans."

Ward has qualified to compete in both the 3000 and 5000 meters. He posted the 12th-best time in the nation in the 3000 meters at the MPSF Championships, qualifying with a time of 7:52.51. He recorded the fifth best time in the nation in the 5000 meters, with a 13:42.17 at the UW Husky Classic. Ward placed ninth in the 5000 meters at the 2013 NCAA Indoor Championships.

Bringhurst enters the meet with the seventh-best mark in the pole vault in the nation with a 5.50 meter (18 feet, .5 inch) vault at the Lobo Collegiate Open, a personal best. He has finished in first place twice this season and in the top three in every meet in which he has competed. He took second at the MPSF Championships.

Dalton posted the 14th highest point total in the heptathlon this season at the Air Force Invitational with 5621 points, good for first place and a personal best. It was also the second-best score in BYU history. He also took first in the heptathlon at the BYU Indoor Invitational. He has set new personal bests in seven events this year.

Based off of last year’s team scores, the Cougars will need to score 10 points or more to crack the top-20 in the team standings, a goal Eyestone says is very doable and would be considered a success.

Dalton will compete in the heptathlon starting Friday morning with the long jump, shot put and high jump. He will conclude with the 60 meter hurdles, pole vault and 1000 meters on Saturday morning. Bringhurst will compete in the pole vault Saturday at 5:30 p.m. MDT. Ward will run the 5000 meters Friday night at 8:25 p.m. MDT and the 3000 meters Saturday at 7:40 p.m. MDT.

A full schedule can be found at GoLobos.com. For live stats, visit the event page on BYUCougars.com.