Feb. 25, 2012

Day 1 - Results

STERLING, Ill. -- After the first day of the Great West Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships Saturday, the UVU men's and women's track and field teams lead with 70 and 97.5 points, respectively, at the Westwood Sports Complex.

The UVU women currently hold a 29.5-point lead over North Dakota (68), while Houston Baptist (36) is in third.

On the men's side, the Wolverines hold an 18-point lead over North Dakota (52), while Houston Baptist is in third with 30 points.

The Wolverines put a lot of distance between them and the field in the men's and women's 5,000 meters, the men's pole vault, and the heptathlon and pentathlon.

Joshua McCabe placed first in the 5,000 (14:39.17), while Cliff Nielson (3rd, 14:51.52) and Macy Butterfield (5th, 15:00.29) also finished in the Top 5.

In the women's 5,000, the Wolverines placed four in the top six spots: Angela Baker (1, 17:36.27); Ivie Gonsalves (4th, 17:53.21); Brooke Hodson (5th, 17:55.96), and Stephanie Christensen (6th, 18:00.04).

In the pentathlon, Michael McPherson leads with 2,877 points, while Rusty Jones is second with 2,752 points. Stephen Wickhamshire (2,262) and Williams (2,260) are fourth and fifth, respectively.

In the women's heptathlon, the Wolverines won four of the first five spots: Jessica Lingwall (1st, 3,269); Lexie Esplin (2nd, 3,095); Ali Shields (4th, 3,030) and Autumn Robertson (5th, 2,960).

Williams (15-3) and Michael Ashton (14-11) went 1-2 in the pole vault, while Jones was 5th (14-3.25) and Wickhamshire was eighth (12-5.5).

In other notable performances: Michael McPherson (23 feet) and Matt Williams (20-1.75) went 1-2 in the long jump; Aaron Best (8th, weight throw, 44-09); men's distance medley (Chris Dorton, Jordan Nelson, Taylor Charles, Mike Felix, 4th, 10:27.94); men's distance medley relay (Stephani Talbot, Sydni Samuels, Taylor Gomez, Ally Deeter, 4th, 13:01.95); Esplin (5th, long jump, 16-9.25); Becca Hutton (3rd, weight throw, 51-04.25); Makira Rackham (5-03.75) and Autumn Robertson (4-11.75), first and third, respectively, long jump.

The final three heptathlon events get underway Sunday at 7 a.m., while the individual events and relays begin at 7:30 a.m.

UVU Women

1 Utah Valley 97.50

2 North Dakota 68

3 Houston Baptist 36

4 Seattle U. 35

5 New Jersey Institute 17

6 Texas-Pan American 14.50

7 Chicago State 4

UVU Men

1 Utah Valley 70

2 North Dakota 52

3 Houston Baptist 30

4 Texas-Pan American 29

5 Seattle U. 26

6 Chicago State 18

7 New Jersey Institute 7