Ross, Thompson PRs highlight track and field home debut

PROVO, Utah — BYU women's and men's track and field teams made their indoor season debut with the opening day of the BYU Indoor Invitational on Thursday afternoon at the Smith Fieldhouse.

FULL RESULTS

Women’s Recap

The BYU women left Thursday with four event wins and a new mark on the program’s pole vault top-10 board.

Sophomore vaulter Rebekah Ross cleared a personal-best 4.21m/13-9.75 to win the women’s pole vault competition and rise to No. 6 all-time at BYU. With her clearance on Thursday, Ross surpasses Sierra Hansen’s mark set in 2018.

Maren Garnett, a newcomer to the team from Utah State, placed second at 3.75m/12-3.75.

Jessica Thompson and Gretchen Hoekstre dominated women’s throws on Thursday. Thompson notched a personal-best 18.35m/60-2.5 to win the weight throw while Hoekstre took first in the shot put at 14.69m/48-2.25. Thompson’s weight throw keeps her at No. 5 all-time at BYU.

Freshman Maddie Passmore made her collegiate debut on Thursday and made the most of it as she won the women’s triple jump. Passmore, a native of Clovis, California, jumped 11.97m/39-3.25 to overcome UVU’s Olivia Pixton by more than a meter.

Maddy Eaton and Tori Lord also began their BYU track and field careers on Thursday. Both multi athletes closed the day strong with top-5 800m finishes at 2:32.32 and 2:33, respectively. Lord came in sixth (2841) and Eaton 9th (2764) in the final overall pentathlon standings.

Men's Recap

Senior multi-event athlete Dallin Vorkink was the only Cougar to compete for the men's team Thursday. He registered a personal best in the heptathlon 60-meter race, crossing the line at 6.91 seconds.

The Kirksville, Missouri native competed in three additional heptathlon events, including a first-place finish in the shot put (12.46m/44-2).

Through four events, Vorkink stands at fifth overall in the heptathlon results.

BYU’s December home meet concludes on Friday at the Smith Fieldhouse. Events resume at 11 a.m. MST and include sprints, mid-distance and men’s pole vault.