Kelsey Brown records top-5 NCAA time in the 800 meters

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.