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The University of Utah Athletics
Indoor Track Preps For MWC Championship
2/24/2009 12:00 AM | Track & Field
Feb. 24, 2009
SALT LAKE CITY - The University of Utah track and field team will be sending their top athletes to the Mountain West Conference Indoor Championships hosted by Air Force this weekend. The seasoned Utes will be looking to improve from last year's seventh-place finish in the league (36 points). The competition will be held Thursday through Saturday.
THE UTES
Utah has several leaders on the team looking to finish out the season on a high note. Senior Chelsea Shapard currently has the second-fastest time in school history in the 800-meter (2:10.39), which ranks fourth in the league. She also ranks fourth in the conference in the 400-meter with a time of 5.75.
In the 5,000-meter run, Lauren Endersen is ranked fifth in the league with a time of 17:20.06 and 12th in the league in the 3,000-meter run (10:03.26).
Freshman Langley Iverson is third in the conference in the pole vault after hitting a 5'7.32" height this season. To come out on top, she will have to outperform the two BYU Cougars ranked above her.
In the weight throw, Sarah Grimm and Josefin Berg are looking sharp, ranked second and fourth, respectively. Grimm has a season-high mark of 58'2.50" and Berg's season-best is currently 57'2.25".
Head Coach Kyle Kepler's Thoughts
"The indoor championship season is here. It's time to parlay all of the hard training into some great performances. You don't hold anything back at this meet. BYU is a heavy favorite and our kids understand that. However, we will focus on ourselves and our team. If we can get some momentum early in the meet and carry it into Saturday I will feel good regardless of where we actually finish in the team standings. We couldn't catch a break last year, but that's track and sports in general. Sometimes you have to make your breaks. We figured that out at the outdoor championships last year and the cross country and the dividends were huge. \I expect this veteran group to go apply the pressure to their competitors and see what happens. Finishing seventh as a team last year was not acceptable. I know this team has been anxiously awaiting a chance to perform better at this year's championship meet. Regardless, it will be a huge challenge. I expect our team to leave it all on the track this weekend."
LAST WEEK: WILDCAT TUNE-UP
Grimm won the weight throw with a lifetime best toss of 58' 2.5". Berg took second with a season best throw of 57' 2.25". Chasity Toilolo was fourth in the shot put with a good throw of 45' 1".
Chelsey Kaplar improved her lifetime best in the 55-meter hurdles to a time of 8.30, which is the fourth best time in the school's history. Teammate Brianna LeRoy finished second with her lifetime best time of 8.51.
Iverson won the high jump with a respectable height of 5' 7". Mandi Witherspoon improved her lifetime best to 5' 5" to take second place.
In the triple jump, Ashley Patterson won with a jump of 37' 9.5".
SCOUTING THE CONFERENCE
U.S. Air Force Academy
Led by Sara Neubauer, a junior and recipient of all-MWC recognition in 2008, will be competing in the shot put as a current league runner-up with a distance of 49'11.25".
The Falcons currently lead the Mountain West Conference in the pole vault with Kimber Shealy (13'0.29") and Melissa Beerse (12'11.9") owning the first and second place seeded spots, respectively.
BYU
The Cougars currently have several athletes that are top-seeded for the conference championships, including Amy Menlove who is looking to improve the MWC's all-time long jump record of 21'3.25". Menlove's current jump is 21'2.72".
In the 5,000-meter run, Cecily Lemmon currently leads the league with a time of 16:33.47.
Colorado State
In the field events, the Rams are led by Missy Faubus with a 50'7.87" distance in the shot put, which gives her the top seed for this weekend's conference championship.
Michelle Roberts is seeded fourth in the high jump, just under Utah's Iverson.
New Mexico
Ariel Burr returns as the 2007 400-meter champion. She is currently second in the event with a provisionally-qualifying time of 54.38.
Two Lobos will be competing in the 5,000-meter run this weekend: Michelle Corrigan is second in the league with a time of 16:34.58, while her teammate Nicky Archer is the third seed, with a time of 16:45.75.
San Diego State
Karoline Koehler from the Aztecs is dominating the league in the triple jump with a mark of 43'4.86". The second seed in the championship is Neidra Covington of TCU, with a mark of 42'8.59". Koehler has good standings in the 60-meter dash for the conference championships as well and is currently ranked second with a time of 7.50.
In the 400-meter dash, San Diego State's Nicole Stone comes in third in the league after posting a mark of 54.80.
TCU
Neidra Covington will be leading the Horned Frogs in the long jump after receiving a No. 3 seed with a mark of 19'10.18". Teammate Whiney Gipson is right behind her with a mark of 19'5.46".
Jessica Young is currently ranked 13th in the nation, according to TrackShark.com, in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.35. She is also a member of the Horned Frogs' 4x400-meter relay team that will be competing at the championship.
UNLV
Lekeisha Lawson will be competing in the 60-meter and 200-meter dashes for the Rebels. She is currently ranked third in the Mountain West Conference in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.55.
In the long jump, Deja Edwards is fifth in the league after marking a 19'1.52" distance earlier in the season.
WYOMING
Amanda Aimone will be giving Utah's Grimm a run for her money in the weight throw. The Cowgirl is currently first in the league with a toss of 60'0.50", which ranks tenth in Wyoming's school history.
Players Mentioned
Throws
/ Track & Field
Jumps
/ Track & Field
Hurdles/Sprints
/ Track & Field
Multiple
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