Track & Field Closes Out Pac-12 Championships

TUCSON, Ariz. – Utah's Kolbi Sims and Sarah Newton highlighted the Utes' final day of competition at the 2019 Pac-12 Track & Field Outdoor Championships Sunday evening at Drachman Stadium in Tucson, Ariz. Sims placed fifth overall in the high jump event, while Newton posted a seventh-place finish in the 800-meters.

"We know this league is incredible and we are just going to keep fighting to get better," said Utah head coach Kyle Kepler. "We have a ways to go, but we are making finals on a consistent basis and putting ourselves in the mix more than we ever have in scoring points and finishing in the money. We are getting there. It certainly is not a lack of effort, it might just be a lack of experience. We had a lot of young kids this year, but they have held up to the pressure."

The 4x100-meter relay team opened running events, taking ninth with a time of 46.42. Sarah Feeny followed in the 1500-meters with a 10th-place finish and a time of 4:24.27. Over in the high jump event, Sims would clear a height of 1.71m in the event to take fifth-place overall and put some points on the board for the Utes. It marked the first time that Utah has scored in the high jump since 2012. Eliza Hansen just missed scoring for the Utes, finishing ninth with a mark of 1.66m.

"I thought Kolbi, in the high jump, finishing fifth looked really good," said Kepler. "She was probably just one height away from making what would have been a regional mark. That is tough to swallow knowing how great she was jumping, but that is that event and it is a matter of inches. It doesn't take away from the fact that she scored in two events in the Pac-12 Championships and was our high-point scorer. I am really proud of her."

The 800-meter run was postponed from last night's weather delay and run as timed finals on Sunday. The Utes had seven different athletes competing with Newton leading the way and earning points for the Utes with a seventh-place finish, crossing the finish line in 2:06.15. Brooke Manson was just behind her in 10th place with a time of 2:07.06. Whitney Hessler rounded out the top-20 with an 18th-place finish and time of 2:09.92. Rounding out the event for Utah was Brooklyn James (2:11.33), Sadie Wassum (2:13.03), Nicole Griffiths (2:13.43) and Mesa Weidle (2:13.49, PR).

In another event that was run as timed finals, Skyler Blair would finish 12th in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:00.29 and Kayla Rees rounded out the event finishing in a time of 1:03.17. Also run as timed finals in three different heats, in the 200-meters, Maya LeBar finished with a time of 24.88, while Taylor Watson (25.17) and Raynee Helm-Wheelock (25.65) rounded out the event.

Bella Williams was the first Ute to cross the finish line in the 5000-meters, taking 14th with a time of 16:30.47 and Emma Christensen later followed with a new season and personal-best time of 17:04.26.

The 4x400-meter relay team, consisting of Lauren O'Banion, James, Blair and Martin, closed out the evening out, earning a ninth-place finish with a time of 3:43.40.

"We are going to look at the regional meet coming up and we are excited about that," Kepler noted. "We will figure all of that out later this week and get excited about sending some athletes to that meet in Sacramento."

UTAH RESULTS
4x100-Meter Relay
9th – Raynee Helm-Wheelock, Jackie Martin, Maya LeBar, Taylor Watson – 46.42

1500-Meters
10th – Sarah Feeny – 4:24.27

800-Meters
7th – Sarah Newton – 2:06.15
10th – Brooke Manson 2:07.06
18th – Whitney Hessler –2:09.92
21st – Brooklyn James – 2:11.33
25th – Sadie Wassum – 2:13.03
26th – Nicole Griffiths – 2:13.43
27th – Mesa Weidle – 2:13.49 (SB, PR)

400-meter Hurdles
12th – Skyler Blair – 1:00.29
19th – Kayla Rees – 1:03.17

200-Meters
14th – Maya LeBar – 24.88
20th – Taylor Watson – 25.17
23rd – Raynee Helm-Wheelock – 25.65

5000-meters
14th – Bella Williams – 16:30.47
26th – Emma Christensen – 17:04.26 (SB, PR)

4x400-Meter Relay
xx – Lauren O'Banion, Brooklyn James, Skyler Blair, Jackie Martin – 3:43.40

Long Jump
17th – Kolbi Sims – 5.68m

High Jump
5th – Kolbi Sims – 1.71m
9th – Eliza Hansen – 1.66m

Women's Team Rankings – 21 Events Scored
1. USC, 154
2. Oregon, 137
3. Colorado, 92
4. Stanford, 86
5. Washington, 73.5
6. Arizona State, 69.5
7. Arizona, 57.5
8. UCLA, 55
9. California, 36
10. Washington State, 24.5
11. Oregon State, 23
12. Utah, 12

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Players Mentioned

Skyler Blair

Emma Christensen

Sarah Feeny

Nicole Griffiths

Eliza Hansen

Raynee Helm-Wheelock

Whitney Hessler

Brooklyn James

Maya LeBar

Brooke Manson

Jackie Martin

Sarah Newton

Lauren O'Banion

Kayla Rees

Kolbi Sims

Sadie Wassum

Taylor Watson

Mesa Weidle

Bella Williams

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