Mid Major Challenge up next for women’s track and field

PROVO, Utah – The BYU women’s track and field team heads to Sacramento, Calif., this weekend to compete for the first time in the Sacramento State Mid Major Challenge.

“This should be a pretty good meet,” BYU coach Patrick Shane said. “Sacramento State has been working hard the last few years to put together a competitive meet. We’re taking the largest travel group we’ve had this season, so we are happy to go.”

Other teams participating in the challenge include Utah State, Fresno State, Portland State, UC Davis, Montana State, Detroit Mercy, Nevada and San Diego State.

Despite the large number of athletes traveling to the meet this weekend, only a handful of distance runners are set to compete. Among those runners are Kelsey Brown, Candace Eddy Carlisle, Rachel Stewart and Sarah Yingling. All four runners last competed at the Stanford Invitational March 29 and 30 in the 800 meters and 1,500 meters.

Brown finished 10^th overall in the 800 with a time of 2 minutes 7.40 seconds, .39 off her outdoor personal best. Brown also competed in the 1,500 with a time of 4:28.23. The Stanford Invitational was her first time competing since the NCAA Indoor Championships in early March.

Carlisle heads to Sacramento coming off a fourth-place section finish in the 1,500 with a personal-best time of 4:25.40. She also finished 27^th in section “B” of the 800 with a time of 2:16.01.

Yingling and Stewart placed 12^th and 14^th overall in section “B” of the 800 with a times of 2:12.73 and 2:13.20. In the 1,500, Yingling finished second in her section in 4:26.02. Stewart finished sixth in her section in 4:30.53.

Last week during the Sun Angel Classic in Tempe, Ariz., the Cougars were led by Allysa Hansen in the 400-meter hurdles and Ashleigh Warner in the 1,500 meters.

Hansen, who sat out last year due to reconstructive knee surgery, placed fourth with a time of 1:00.77, a new personal best in the 400. Warner finished second in the 1,500 meters with a time of 4:34.51.

The starting time of the Mid Major Challenge for BYU is set for 3:30 p.m. PDT with the women’s discus throw at Hornet Stadium.  An updated schedule for the meet will be available on Wednesday at Hornetsports.com.