Cougars wrap up high jump, heptathlon Friday

PROVO, Utah — Jake Grimsman took first and Connor Saunders set a new personal best in the high jump as BYU track and field continued their January home meet at the Smith Fieldhouse on Friday.

Men's Recap

BYU men's track and field competed in the high jump and wrapped-up the heptathlon on Friday. 

Jake Grimsman placed first in the high jump with a clearance of 2.02m/6-7.50. Connor Saunders and Nathan Kay both registered a 1.97m/6-5.50 clearances to tie with Utah Valley's top-25 ranked Carter Cook. Saunders' mark set a a new personal best for the sophomore. 

Dallin Vorkink and Ben Barton concluded heptathlon competition as Barton took first in the 60m hurdles at 8.36 seconds. Vorkink placed second in the pole vault with a clearance of 4.76m/15-7.

Women's Recap

Tidwell Allphin won the women’s high jump with a clearance of 1.84m/6-0.5. The returning All-American jumped nearly a foot over runner-up Ajia Hughes of Southern Utah. Tidwell Allphin also jumped from 12th to sixth nationally, surpassing Hawaii’s Lilian Turban as well as jumpers from Pitt, Georgia Tech and Cincinnati.

"Cierra did fantastic today," said BYU jumps coach Mark Robison. "I'm ecstatic that she jumped so high this early in the season."

The junior from Gilbert, Arizona finished Friday less than an inch shy of her personal best and BYU top-10 mark of 1.86m/6-1.25.

Maddie Lempka took third in the high jump with a personal best 1.67m/5-5.75. Christina Blackmon competed as well, finishing tied for 10th.

Maddie Passmore, a freshman from Clovis, California, won the women’s triple jump at 11.56m/37-11. Despite coming up two inches short of her personal best set in December, Passmore’s jump commanded an 11-inch lead over runner-up Sidnee Naerebout of Utah State. The former California All-State selection also finished eighth at 5.40m/17-8.5 in her first collegiate long jump.

The Cougars reconvene for the final day of the meet on Saturday at the Smith Fieldhouse beginning at 10 a.m. MST.