Completed Event: Track & Field versus NCAA Championships on June 12, 2025 ,
Final Score
Track & Field
vs NCAA Championships
Utah Track And Field At Mountain West Championships
5/11/2004 12:00 AM | Track & Field
May 11, 2004
THIS WEEK:
The Utes will travel to Las Vegas, Nev., for the 2004 Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships May 12-15. UNLV will play host to the event, which will take place at Myron Partridge Stadium and Sheila Tarr Smith Field. The meet will feature athletes from all the MWC outdoor track and field teams.
FOLLOW THE MEET:
Complete results for the MWC Championships will be posted at the MWC website.
PREVIEWING THE COMPETITION:
The Utes will have their hands full, competing against several teams ranked in the top 50. On the women's side, Brigham Young is ranked 11th, Colorado State is ranked 26th, San Diego State is 36th and Wyoming is 43rd according to Trackshark's Women's Top 50 power rankings. On the men's side Brigham Young is 10th, Colorado State is 31st and Air Force is 34th.
QUOTING HEAD COACH Lisa Archer:
"Out team feels strong and ready to compete with high intensity in Las Vegas this week," claims Archer. "We anticipate the excitement and look forward to the strong competition. The team is ready. We have prepared all year in hopes of having the best outdoor conference meet this school has ever seen. The team will be looking to score points, improve on NCAA regional marks, set school record and achieve personal records."
LAST MEET:
The University of Utah outdoor track and field teams finished competition for the Wilson Motor Qualifier on Thursday, May 6. Held at Utah State's Ralph Maughn Track Stadium, the meet featured athletes from Utah, Brigham Young, Utah State, Weber State and Idaho State.
Leading the way for the women were Jennie Haertel, Katie Decker and Amanda Feigt, who all notched first-place finishes in their respective events. Haertel earned another first-place finish in the 1,500 meters, finishing in 4:57.61. Decker won the high jump with an impressive 1.78m jump, a new outdoor personal record. Feigt finished first in the triple jump with 12.21m and finished second in the 200 meters with 25.37.
The women's team also got strong performances from Aishatu Yusuf, Andrea Davidson, Nellie Hammons and Candice Mannion. Yusuf finished second in the 100 (12.61), Davidson took second in the 800 (2:14.70), Hammons finished second in the 1,500 (4:59.79) and Mannion placed third in the 400 (59.48).
On the men's side, veterans Nephi Tyler and Jeff Davidson, along with newcomer Dustin Cutrer led the way. Tyler took gold in the 800m with 1:51.94, while Davidson finished second in the steeplechase with 9:36.55. Cutrer continued to show improvement in the javelin with a second-place finish at 55.86m.
"This was a great tune-up meet for the conference championships," said Archer. "We wanted our athletes to improve their conference and regional rankings and try to set NCAA regional qualifying marks. Katie Decker had another great meet."
UTES ON THE RUN:
Senior Nephi Tyler has taken gold in either the 800 or the 1,500 in three of his last five meets. At the BYU Wells Fargo Invitational on May 2, he set an NCAA Regional qualifying mark in the 1,500. That mark of 3:49.88 ranks third in the conference. Tyler could be the highest scoring athlete on the men's team this week.
Senior Katie Decker finished third in the high jump at the conference indoor championship earlier this year. Afterwards, she had a spectacular meet at the NCAA Championships finishing seventh overall with a 5' 11 ?" jump that made her the first All-American under head coach Lisa Archer. Decker has continued to post strong results in the high jump during the outdoor season, taking gold in four out the seven meets she's competed in. Decker is a strong candidate to take gold this year; she currently ranks first in the conference (5' 10").
Senior Nellie Hammons was Utah's only conference champion at the conference indoor championships, where she won the 800. She also competed at the NCAA Indoor Championships. This year, she set an NCAA outdoor qualifying mark of 2:08.56 at the Utah State Invitational on April 17. That mark currently ranks second in the conference.
Sophomore Vanessa Mortensen won the MWC title for the hammer throw with a 185' 6" mark last year. This year, Mortensen broke the school record by throwing 193' 6" at the BYU Wells Fargo Invitational. That mark improved her previous NCAA regional qualifying mark and currently ranks second in the conference. Mortensen will look to defend her title this week in Las Vegas.
MIGHTY FROSH: Amanda Feigt could be Utah's highest scoring athlete this week. Proving that she can perform in the 200, 400, long jump, triple jump and the 4x400m relay, Feigt is one of the best freshman athletes in Utah history. She set a NCAA qualifying mark of 6.02m in the long jump at the Hornet Invitational on March 27. Feigt should make some noise in the 4x400m relay, the long jump and the triple jump this week.
Jennie Haertel has been this year's biggest surprise. After an impressive fifth-place finish in the indoor conference championship mile race, Haertel has continued to impress. The Sandy, Utah, native has been Utah's best 1,500 athlete this year and set an NCAA qualifying mark of 4:27.69 at the Oregon Invitational.
FROM THE TRAINER'S TABLE:
Senior Tracy Hamblin will return to the Ute lineup this weekend in the pole vault. Hamblin injured herself earlier this season at the BYU Invitational, a meet in which she won the pole vault. She set an NCAA regional qualifying mark before suffering the ankle injury.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Next up for those Utes who qualify is the 2004 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Wednesday, June 9, in Austin, Texas. The four-day meet will continue through Saturday, June 12.
Coach Kyle Kepler celebrates 20 years at the helm of Utah Cross Country/Track & Field
Monday, August 11
Utah Cross Country's McKaylie Caesar Feature - A Medical Miracle
Tuesday, April 29
Our Voices: Episode 4 - Celebrating Black History Month
Friday, February 25
Our Voices: Episode 3 - Celebrating Black History Month
Friday, February 18