BYU wraps up regular season with 3 top-10 marks

PROVO, Utah — BYU women's track and field concluded the BYU Cougars Invitational with three Top-10 marks and 16 personal bests at Robison Track & Field on Saturday.

FULL RESULTS

"It's been a phenomenal day," director of track and field Ed Eyestone said. "This is why we we do our last chance meet two weeks before the regionals, because it gives our athletes who already have a chance to improve on that. I think across the board, we saw that. We also had some who needed to show up today to make sure they're gone to the regional, and they did as well."

The Cougars set three Top-10 marks and 16 new personal bests on the women’s side, beginning with the 400-meters, where nearly every BYU athlete ran a personal best time.

Alena Ellsworth first-place finishing time of 52.96 moved her up to No. 2 all-time. She was followed by Meghan Hunter (53.81) who remained at No. 6, and Annalise Hart, whose 53.92 put her at No. 7 in program history. Brilee Pontius (54.63), Layne Bolli (53.30) and Sami Oblad (55.67) each set personal bests in the event as well.

Jessica Thompson also set a top-10 mark, moving from No. 6 to No. 4 all-time in the shot put with a toss of 15.76m/51-8.5.

In the 3000-meter steeplechase, Destiny Everett clocked a 10:39.91, good for a new personal best. Alissa Fielding (2:09.56) and Anastaysia Davis (2:09.95) each ran new personal best times in the 800-meters and Christina Blackmon’s mark of 1.66m/5-2.5 was a new personal best in the high jump.

Emma Johnson and Catherine Phipps closed out the meet for the Cougars, setting personal bests in the 100-meter dash with times of 12.10 and 12.94, respectively.

"It was a fantastic meet," Eyestone said. "Our athletes tend to perform well when we're at home, especially when the conditions cooperate, whether it's having a chance to perform for friends and family, or just on this amazing facility. I think by and large our athletes recognize that this was a great opportunity for them to have one more home meet of the year and they showed up."

The Cougars will await regional entry finalization early next week, but look poised to send a number of athletes to the West Preliminary in Fayetteville, Arkansas from May 25-28.