LARAMIE, Wyo. – The 2017-18 season got off to a successful start for the University of Wyoming track & field team on Friday as the Pokes welcomed Northern Colorado to the friendly confines of the War Memorial Fieldhouse for the annual Wyoming Power Meet. The Brown and Gold emerged victorious in 17 events in the season-opening showdown with the Bears, notching a number of personal bests along the way.
"I was happy with the passion (the Wyoming student-athletes) competed with and the effort they gave today," said head coach Bryan Berryhill following the meet. "I thought the energy in here was good with the team. For a first meet, I'm happy with it, but we've got to build on some of these marks in order to be where we want to be at conference."
It was business as usual for junior star Ja'la Henderson on Friday, who took top honors in the women's long jump with a mark of 19 feet, 0.75 inches to win the event by over six inches. Junior Allegra Carson followed suit in the women's triple jump, earning the victory with a solid mark of 38-11. On the men's side, Cowboy freshman William Nolan leapt 47-10.5 to start his collegiate career with a victory in the triple jump.
The Wyoming throws crew cleaned up on Friday, sweeping all four throws events. Junior Tori Sleep recorded a personal-best mark of 44-3.5 to win the women's shot put, while Emelda Malm-Annan tossed 57-6.5 to finish atop the standings in the women's weight throw. Senior Garrett Lynch won the men's shot put at 52-11.5, while sophomore Hap Frketich was tops in the men's weight throw at 53-8.5.
Junior sprinter Jordan Edmonds broke into Wyoming's all-time top 10 for the 60-meter dash, recording a converted time of 7.60 seconds after finishing first in the women's 55-meter dash at 7.06. She is now tied for ninth all-time at UW in the 60 meters. Senior Melina Harris was close behind Edmonds, clocking in at 7.10 in the 55-meter dash. Meanwhile, sophomore Jace Marx collected a victory in the men's 55-meter dash, posting a time of 6.44 to beat teammate Sam Kirkeide by five hundredths of a second.
In the 55-meter hurdles, senior Heidi Pfoor was victorious on the women's side with a solid time of 8.22 seconds while redshirt freshman Jay Shuman clocked 7.76 to edge true freshman McCade Johnson in the men's race. Johnson won the men's 400 meters in his first collegiate meet, posting a time of 52.03 for the win. Senior Kevin Blackett recorded a victory in the men's 200 meters, finishing in 23.03.
The Cowgirls were solid in the middle distances on Friday. Senior Kerry White won the 600-meter run, clocking in at 1:46.30, while the women were victorious in both the 4x400-meter relay and 4x800-meter relay. The Cowboys won the 4x800-meter relay while falling just short in an exciting 4x400-meter relay to end the meet, finishing just a fraction of a second behind the Northern Colorado relay team.
After starting the season at home, Wyoming will head to Boulder, Colo., for the Potts Indoor Invitational following a break from competition for the holiday season. The Pokes will compete in Boulder Jan. 12-13 before a trip to Albuquerque, N.M., for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Invite Jan. 19-20. UW will host Montana State in the Powder River Dual at the Campbell County Recreation Center in Gillette, Wyo., on Jan. 27. Follow @wyo_track on twitter for additional information as the 2017-18 Wyoming track & field season continues.
