Utes Tally Five Event Champions at Southern Utah University

Saturday, May 2

Cedar City, Utah

All Day

University of Utah

Southern Utah University Invitational

Utes Tally Five Event Champions at Southern Utah University

5/2/2009 12:00 AM | Track & Field

May 2, 2009

Final Stats

CEDAR CITY, Utah - The University of Utah track and field team was finally able to compete this weekend with the mild weather conditions Saturday at the Eccles Coliseum Spring Meet. The Utes were able to fly the sprinters back to Utah from Arkansas in time for them to compete in the meet, aiding the team to five event winners and several other top-five finishes.

"Our runners ran solid, especially after what they've been through this weekend with the weather and traveling back from Arkansas. I'm glad we were able to accommodate them and get them to this meet," said head coach Kyle Kepler.

In the 800-meter run, freshman Lucy Yates was able to jump ahead of her competition and finish in first place with a time of 2:14.09.

"It was a good run for Lucy," said Kepler. "It was a little redemption for her from last week."

After the inclement weather conditions at the Arkansas Twilight, Chelsea Shapard and Chelsey Kaplar flew back into Utah to get one meet under their belts this weekend. The Utes stepped out on the track and ousted their competition in the 400-meter hurdles. Shapard took first place with a time of 1:00.12 and Kaplar came in second-place with a time of 1:02.20.

Shapard and Kaplar joined with teammates Ashley Patterson and Whitney Wellington in the 4x400-meter relay to dominate the competition. The Utes pulled ahead during the first leg and a half of the race and never looked back to finish first with a time of 3:47.16. Patterson had also competed in the 400-meter run for a fourth-place finish and a time of 57.93.

Langley Iverson competed in the high jump at the meet for a 5' 5" height to earn second place overall.

Utah's throwers saw several good performances, including two event champions. Sarah Grimm and Josefin Berg continued their one-two punch combination. Grimm earned her fourth hammer championship on Saturday with a toss of 193' 11" and Berg took second place with a toss of 189' 0".

Chasity Toilolo won the discus event with a 149' 8" effort and also had a fifth place finish in the shot put with a toss of 42' 8.25". Grimm took fourth place in the discus with a 142' 1".

Breanna Freestone competed in the javelin throw on Saturday and earned a fifth-place finish with a 114' 11" effort.

"We had good efforts today, but we are ready to compete at home," said Kepler. "We need to get through finals and then take on the final preparations for the Mountain West Conference Championship."

COMING UP
The University of Utah track and field team will host the Utah Twilight Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. MT.