PROVO -- BYU claimed its 18th straight league championship on Saturday, running away from the competition with 236 points at the first-ever Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The Cougars, ranked in the top-10 in the country, picked up 142 points on Saturday to finish 107 points ahead of second-place finisher UNLV. The Rebels recorded 129 points, followed in third by Wyoming with 121.50 points. Colorado State finished in fourth with 108.50 team points, while San Diego State earned a fifth-place finish with 80 points. New Mexico finished in sixth with 71 points, followed by Utah in seventh with 50 points. Air Force finished eighth with 22 points.

UNLV opened the team scoring Saturday witn a win in the 4x100 relay in a time of 44.92, edging New Mexico (45.22). In the first field event of the day, Liz Toman gave Colorado State a win in the high jump, clearing a personal-best and NCAA provisional height of 5'-10.75" in a mild upset of conference leader Jeana Bingham, who cleared 5'-8.75" to take second for BYU. Toman recorded another upset when she surprised seventh-ranked Robyn Lyons to win the discus in a personal-best and NCAA provisional distance of 173'-5", becoming one of only three women to win two events in the meet.

The 1,500-meter race featured the nation's No. 3-ranked Susan Taylor, who picked up the event win for BYU in 4:36.50, followed by teammate Sharolyn Shields in a close second (4:36.80). Three athletes recorded NCAA marks in the 100-meter hurdles, led by ninth-ranked Kirsten Bolm, who set a new personal best and automatic qualifying time of 13.02 in winning the 100-meter hurdles. San Diego State's Felicia Stone (13.32) and New Mexico's Angela Whyte (13.43) picked up provisional times in second and third place, respectively.

Conference leader and No. 13-ranked Michele Davis ran an NCAA provisional time of 53.09 to win the 400 meters for UNLV, ahead of Promise Mose, who claimed second for the Aztecs in 54.63. Ayanna Hutchinson made it two in a row for UNLV with a win in the 100-meter dash, where the nation's sixth-ranked runner pulled away from the pack to win in 11.69, with Bolm in second (12.02). Davis and Hutchinson returned to star for the Rebels in the 200-meter dash, where Davis picked up her second title of the day in 23.21, an NCAA provisonal mark, with Hutchinson in second (23.54).

BYU's Holly Gibbons and Milena Alver earned trips to the NCAA Championships with their 1-2 finish inthe 400-meter hurdles. Gibbons won the event in 57.56, followed by Alver in 57.73. The times move them into seventh and ninth place national rankings and into second and third, respectively, on the BYU all-time list. Yet another conference favorite came out on top in the 800 meters, where No. 9-ranked Melanie Steere posted an NCAA provisional time in winnning the event, followed by San Diego State's Kylie Edwards (2:07.39) and teammate Susan Taylor (2:09.56).

Tara Rohatinsky and Marty Hernandez opened up an early lead in the 5,000-meter race and pulled away from the pack to finish 1-2 in the race for BYU. The pair ran side-by-side for the first 4,500 meters before Rohatinsky, ranked No. 18 in the nation, made a move to the outside down the stretch to edge out seventh-ranked Hernandez (16:45.39). Rohatinsky's winning time of 16:39.55 guarantees her a spot in the NCAA Championships, as altitude adjustment will make her an automatic qualifier.

New Mexico's Monique Harris leaped 40'-2" to place first in the triple jump, outdistancing BYU's second-place Kathy Sorenson (39'-9.75"). UNLV rounded out the competition with a 3:40.00-second performance to claim the 4x400 relay title, with New Mexico in second (3:40.67) and San Diego State in third (3:43.19).

Following the meet, the Women's Outstanding Performer award went to Robyn Lyons of Wyoming, who won the hammer throw competition by 14 feet, and went on to place second in the discus, sixth in the shot put and eighth in the javelin, scoring 22 team points. BYU's Craig Poole was named Coach of the Year for keeping his team undefeated in outdoor conference competition, while fellow Cougar Kirsten Bolm received top-scorer honors with 28 points, including wins in the long jump and 100-meter hurdles, as well as a second-place finish in the 100-meter dash. After claiming victory in the heptathlon Thursday and placing second in Friday's long jump final, Anna-Lee Walcott of BYU was named Freshman of the Year, an honor Walcott also received at the MWC Indoor meet in February.

In honor of BYU world-class trainer Ollie Julkunen, who unexpectedly passed away in April, the BYU women's track team wore gold rings and yellow ribbons on their uniforms to honor his memory. A card attached to each ring read, "Remember Ollie! He had character, he had sportsmanship, he had heart."

WOMEN'S RESULTS - MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS 5/17-5/20
Finals WOMEN'S 100 METER DASH
(w:-2.0): 1. Ayanna Hutchinson, UNLV 11.69; 2. Kirsten Bolm, BYU 12.02;
3. Adelaide Harper, WYO 12.04; 4. Adwoa Gyasi-Namako, UNM 12.10; 5.
Danna Rast-Barker, BYU 12.19; 6. Melinda Smedley, SDSU 12.27; 7. Angela
Whyte, UNM 12.28; 8. Arline Smith, UNM 12.36; 9. Felicia Stone, SDSU
12.45.
Finals WOMEN'S 200 METER DASH
(w:0.0): 1. Michele Davis, UNLV 23.21; 2. Ayanna Hutchinson, UNLV
23.54; 3. Adwoa Gyasi-Namako, UNM 23.55; 4. Adelaide Harper, WYO 24.15;
5. Felicia Stone, SDSU 24.37; 6. Danna Rast-Barker, BYU 24.41; 7.
Melinda Smedley, SDSU 24.52; 8. Promise Mose, SDSU 24.75; 9. Arline
Smith, UNM 25.42.
Finals WOMEN'S 400 METER DASH
1. Michele Davis, UNLV 53.09; 2. Promise Mose, SDSU 54.63; 3. LeiAnna
Matthews, UNM 54.88; 4. Jini Hogg, SDSU 55.60; 5. Fiona Lindo-Jeffrey,
WYO 56.31; 7. Nickeisha Charles, UNLV 56.77; 8. Tracy Hamblin, UTAH
58.04; 9. Bobbie Schreiner, WYO 58.69; 6. Erianne Allen, UTAH DQ.
Finals WOMEN'S 800 METER RUN
1. Melanie Steere, BYU 2:06.32; 2. Kylie Edwards, SDSU 2:07.39; 3.
Susan Taylor, BYU 2:09.56; 4. Jeanie Crist, CSU 2:10.03; 5. Mary
Ridder, CSU 2:12.09; 6. Kathryn Goetz, UNLV 2:13.49; 7. Emily Barrus,
BYU 2:14.64; 8. Jennifer Stakiw, SDSU 2:15.11; 9. Nan Evans, BYU 2:19.53.
Finals WOMEN'S 1,500 METER RUN
1. Susan Taylor, BYU 4:36.50; 2. Sharolyn Shields, BYU 4:36.80; 3.
Kylie Edwards, SDSU 4:38.11; 4. Nan Evans, BYU 4:40.79; 5. Katie Yemm,
CSU 4:44.54; 6. Stephanie Davidson, UNLV 4:46.75; 7. Marget Larson, CSU
4:47.14; 8. Erin Cunningham, CSU 4:52.38; 9. Tracy Denaro, AFA 4:52.92;
10. Jennifer Stakiw, SDSU 4:56.58; 11. Heather Johnson, AFA 5:31.39.
Finals WOMEN'S 3,000 METER RUN
1. Sharolyn Shields, BYU 9:51.65; 2. Karen Bockell, CSU 9:54.11; 3.
Laura Heiner, BYU 9:56.80; 4. Rachel Smith, AFA 10:03.70; 5. Elizabeth
Roodell, CSU 10:05.48; 6. Marget Larson, CSU 10:11.73; 7. Katie Martin,
BYU 10:22.58; 8. Erin Cunningham, CSU 10:41.34; 9. Sophia Hawker, SDSU
10:52.96; 10. Heather Johnson, AFA 11:35.33.
Finals WOMEN'S 5,000 METER RUN
1. Tara Rohatinsky, BYU 16:39.55; 2. Marty Hernandez, BYU 16:45.39; 3.
Karen Bockell, CSU 17:29.76; 4. Elizabeth Roodell, CSU 17:29.76; 5.
Jenni Nelson, UNLV 17:42.71; 6. Katie Barto, UNLV 17:49.25; 7. Rachel
Smith, AFA 18:06.54; 8. Jaime Flood, AFA 18:36.73; 9. Sophia Hawker,
SDSU 18:53.65; 10. Lanele Cox, SDSU 20:38.52; 11. Kristen Thompson, AFA
21:20.60; - Ashlee Othick, UNM DNF; - Kim Weaver, UNM DNF.
Finals WOMEN'S 10,000 METER RUN
1. Marty Hernandez, BYU 36:23.98; 2. Jenni Nelson, UNLV 36:29.26; 3.
Kim Leal, CSU 36:56.14; 4. Johanna Nielson, UTAH 37:00.57; 5. Katie
Barto, UNLV 37:28.06; 6. Jaime Flood, AFA 38:06.31; 7. April Brannon,
UNM 38:25.47; 8. Amy Bair, BYU 38:41.79; 9. Ashlee Othick, UNM
40:32.93; 10. Lanele Cox, SDSU 41:59.18; 11. Kristen Thompson, AFA
44:17.70.
Finals WOMEN'S 100 METER LOW HURDLES
(w:0.0): 1. Kirsten Bolm, BYU 13.02; 2. Felicia Stone, SDSU 13.32; 3.
Angela Whyte, UNM 13.43; 4. Kandi Brown, CSU 13.83; 5. Kelly Ann
Charles, WYO 14.17; 6. Elisha Kekacs, UTAH 14.24; 7. Becky Jackson, BYU
14.37; 8. Tomeca Brown, WYO 14.39; 9. Milena Alver, BYU 14.46.
Finals WOMEN'S 400 METER LOW HURDLES
1. Holly Gibbons, BYU 57.56; 2. Milena Alver, BYU 57.73; 3. Becky
Jackson, BYU 59.96; 4. Elisha Kekacs, UTAH 1:00.74; 5. Megan Addy, CSU
1:00.98; 6. Felicia DeVargas, UNM 1:01.57; 7. Leslie Miller, SDSU
1:02.25; 8. Monica Christofferson, UNM 1:02.92; 9. Kim Watson, CSU
1:11.00.
Finals WOMEN'S 4X100 METER RELAY
1. UNLV 44.92; 2. UNM 45.22; 3. SDSU 45.64; 4. WYO 46.61; 5. CSU 47.48;
6. UTAH 48.26; 7. AFA 49.61; - BYU DQ.
Finals WOMEN'S 4X400 METER RELAY
1. UNLV 3:40.00; 2. UNM 3:40.67; 3. SDSU 3:43.19; 4. BYU 3:45.00; 5.
CSU 3:51.82; 6. UTAH 3:53.63; 7. WYO 3:55.90; 8. AFA 3:56.47.
Finals WOMEN'S HIGH JUMP
1. Liz Toman, CSU 1.80m (5-10.75); 2. Jeana Bingham, BYU 1.75m (5-
08.75); 3. Tianika Sharrieff, UNLV 1.75m (5-08.75); 4. Analee Carter,
BYU 1.70m (5-07); 5. Katherine Callahan, UNM 1.65m (5-05); 6. Lisa
Throener, WYO 1.65m (5-05); 6. Lindsay Rudolph, CSU 1.65m (5-05); 8.
Lindsey Malmgren, CSU 1.60m (5-03); 9. Emily McCarter, UNLV 1.55m (5-
01); - Melissa Guanella, UNM NH; - Melissa Laycock, WYO NH.
Finals WOMEN'S POLE VAULT
1. Becky Jackson, BYU 3.97m (13-00.25); 2. Sara Higham, BYU 3.61m (11-
10); 2. Kristi Draher, SDSU 3.61m (11-10); 4. Jamie Davies, CSU 3.61m
(11-10); 5. Charlotte McGee, UNLV 3.46m (11-04.25); 6. Ana-Maria
Ortega, AFA 3.46m (11-04.25); 7. Karin Erkkila, SDSU 3.46m (11-04.25);
8. Abbey Huchel, SDSU 3.16m (10-04.25); 9. Brooke Page, AFA 3.01m (9-
10.50); 10. Carolina Geisseler, UNM 2.86m (9-04.50).
Finals WOMEN'S LONG JUMP
1. Kirsten Bolm, BYU 6.36m w:2.7 (20-10.50); 2. Anna-Lee Walcott, BYU
6.00m w:2.6 (19-08.25); 3. Monique Harris, UNM 5.98m w:2.0 (19-07.50);
4. Chantel Yates, UNLV 5.64m w:3.4 (18-06); 5. Tomeca Brown, WYO 5.57m
w:2.6 (18-03.25); 6. Davina Strauss, WYO 5.54m w:2.6 (18-02.25); 7.
Heather Steadham, UNLV 5.52m w:2.9 (18-01.50); 8. M.E. Clayton, BYU
5.51m w:1.4 (18-01); 9. Belisa Suarez, UNLV 5.51m w:2.5 (18-01); 10.
Catherine Scalley, UTAH 5.35m w:1.6 (17-06.75); 11. Kristy Slade, UTAH
5.34m w:1.6 (17-06.25); 12. Marisa Taylor, SDSU 5.24m w:1.6 (17-02.25);
13. Leslie Miller, SDSU 4.92m w:3.7 (16-01.75); 14. Anna Eller, CSU
4.88m w:1.6 (16-00.25); 15. Kathy Sorenson, BYU 4.70m w:2.9 (15-05).
Finals WOMEN'S TRIPLE JUMP
1. Monique Harris, UNM 12.24m w:NWI (40-02); 2. Kathy Sorenson, BYU
12.13m w:-0.1 (39-09.75); 3. Tomeca Brown, WYO 11.96m w:1.5 (39-03); 4.
Marisa Taylor, SDSU 11.75m w:0.3 (38-06.75); 5. M.E. Clayton, BYU
11.66m w:2.5 (38-03.25); 6. Tiffany Smith, UNLV 11.62m w:0.9 (38-
01.50); 7. Belisa Suarez, UNLV 11.37m w:-0.2 (37-03.75); 8. Domonique
Torbert, AFA 11.12m w:0.4 (36-05.75); 9. Jamie Davies, CSU 11.03m w:1.7
(36-02.25); 10. Susanna Oravainen, UNM 10.92m w:0.5 (35-10); 11.
Alexandria Nash, UTAH 10.84m w:0.2 (35-06.75); 12. Amy Plunkett, UNM 
10.64m w:1.7 (34-11); - Anna-Lee Walcott, BYU ND w:NWI; - Heather 
Steadham, UNLV ND w:NWI.
Finals WOMEN'S SHOT PUT
1. Mandy Kinney, WYO 15.38m (50-05.50); 2. Becky Beachler, BYU 14.64m
(48-00.50); 3. Liz Toman, CSU 14.42m (47-03.75); 4. Marie LeJour, WYO
14.37m (47-01.75); 5. Jessica Marable, UNLV 14.13m (46-04.25); 6. Robin
Lyons, WYO 13.72m (45-00.25); 7. Dana Dillon, WYO 13.15m (43-01.75); 8.
Audrey Kiser, UTAH 12.90m (42-04); 9. Julie Thomas, WYO 12.84m (42-
01.50); 10. Hannah Metzler, CSU 12.07m (39-07.25); 11. Evaine 
Mansfield, AFA 10.94m (35-10.75); 12. Tara Copas, AFA 10.28m (33-
08.75); 13. Nicole Martinez, UNLV 9.72m (31-10.75).
Finals WOMEN'S DISCUS THROW
1. Liz Toman, CSU 52.86m (173-05); 2. Robin Lyons, WYO 50.98m (167-03);
3. Marie LeJour, WYO 48.60m (159-05); 4. Jessica Marable, UNLV 47.48m
(155-09); 5. Mandy Kinney, WYO 47.34m (155-04); 6. Julie Gunzel, CSU
44.48m (145-11); 7. Aimee Nichols, BYU 44.48m (145-11); 8. Julie
Thomas, WYO 43.88m (143-11); 9. Hannah Metzler, CSU 43.72m (143-05);
10. Becky Beachler, BYU 42.70m (140-01); 11. Evaine Mansfield, AFA
39.20m (128-07); 12. Nicole Martinez, UNLV 38.64m (126-09); 13. Alisha
Worthley, UTAH 38.24m (125-05); 14. Dana Dillon, WYO 32.60m (106-11).
Finals WOMEN'S HAMMER THROW
1. Robin Lyons, WYO 62.44m (204-10); 2. Julie Thomas, WYO 58.14m (190-
09); 3. Chantel Goldsberry, UTAH 58.04m (190-05); 4. Dana Dillon, WYO
56.60m (185-08); 5. Katherina Gallahar, UTAH 56.40m (185-0); 6. Marie
LeJour, WYO 55.62m (182-06); 7. Tara Copas, AFA 54.24m (177-11); 8.
Mandy Kinney, WYO 51.44m (168-09); 9. Hannah Metzler, CSU 49.58m (162-
08); 10. Salote O'Reilly, BYU 45.64m (149-09); 11. Julie Gunzel, CSU
44.90m (147-04); 12. Angela Pulcifer, CSU 43.18m (141-08).
Finals WOMEN'S JAVELIN THROW
1. Amy Curtis, BYU 46.20m (151-07); 2. Jorah Roylance, WYO 45.42m (149-
0); 3. Mindy Wilder, UTAH 42.28m (138-08); 4. Shannon Mack, CSU 41.58m
(136-05); 5. Marie LeJour, WYO 40.44m (132-08); 6. Erianne Allen, UTAH
40.42m (132-07); 7. Bessie Fontenot, AFA 38.88m (127-07); 8. Carrie
Sanders, BYU 38.50m (126-04); 9. Susanna Oravainen, UNM 37.42m (122-
09); 10. Anna-Lee Walcott, BYU 35.70m (117-01); 11. Jocelyn Dooley, AFA
34.94m (114-07); 12. Robin Lyons, WYO 34.36m (112-09); 13. Angela
Pulcifer, CSU 32.94m (108-01); 14. Melissa Guanella, UNM 31.24m (102-
06); - Heather Steadham, UNLV ND.
Finals WOMEN'S HEPTATHLON
1. Anna-Lee Walcott, BYU 5224; 2. Chantel Yates, UNLV 5032; 3. Erianne
Allen, UTAH 4932; 4. Leslie Miller, SDSU 4721; 5. Heather Steadham,
UNLV 4718; 6. Kristy Slade, UTAH 4576; 7. Melissa Guanella, UNM 4481;
8. Susanna Oravainen, UNM 4474; 9. Anna Eller, CSU 4464; 10. Lindsey
Malmgren, CSU 3585.

PROVO, Utah (May 16) - After winning both men's and women's indoor championships three months ago in Colorado Springs, the BYU track and field teams enter this weekend's meet as favorites to claim the first-ever outdoor Mountain West Conference titles.

The women's team, ranked No. 4 in the nation in the latest Power rankings, heads into the meet having won 17 consecutive conference titles dating back to 1983, as a member of the High Country Athletic Conference. The No. 12 men have won two straight outdoor conference titles after placing second in 1997 in the expanded WAC. The Mountain West Conference includes 14 teams, eight women's and six men's. Each school in the conference will field a women's team, while the men's field will be without teams from San Diego State and UNLV, who do not have men's programs.

"I never make predictions, but I think this meet will be close," said women's coach Craig Poole. "The school records we have set this season are an indication of what this team can do. If we continue to do what we've done so far, we should have a good finish both at conference and at nationals."

BYU women head the conference standings in 10 events heading into the meet, and a handful of athletes appear on the national performance rankings. Melanie Steere heads the 800-meter list and is ranked ninth nationally with the second-best time in school history (2:04.50). Susan Taylor has the best 1,500 time in the conference (4:16.58) as well as the No. 3 spot in the nation. Taylor is also ranked No. 13 in the 3,000 meters (9:24.47), behind conference-leading teammate Sharolyn Shields (No. 6, 9:17.71) and Laura Heiner (No. 8, 9:19.37). Marty Hernandez leads both the 5,000- and 10,000 meters, where she is ranked No. 7 (15:59.86) and No. 4 (33:21.52), respectively. Her time in the 5,000 is an outdoor school record. Tara Rohatinsky joins Hernandez in the 10,000 rankings, at the No. 6 spot (33:40.06).

Kirsten Bolm is the favorite in the 100-meter hurdles (No. 9, 13.05) and in the long jump (No. 7, 21-5.25), and Holly Gibbons has the best 400-meter hurdles time in the MWC at 58.25, good for 19th in the nation and second on the BYU all-time list. Jeana Bingham is the conference's best high jumper (No. 9, 6-0), and school record-holder Becky Jackson tops the pole vault list with a season-best 12-10.25 and a No. 15 ranking.

The men's side of the competition will be highlighted by a showdown between national powers in the throwing events. In the shot put, BYU's No. 3 Jim Roberts (19.69 meters) will take on Wyoming's No. 5 Jason Gervais (19.49 ) and No. 7 Jason Hammond (19.32). The discus competition features two of the top three in the NCAA in Colorado State's No. 2 Casey Malone (64.47 meters) and No. 3 Gervais (64.26), as well as No. 19 Brian Trainor of Colorado State (58.82) and No. 26 Roberts (56.74).

Fresh off a personal-best 10.13 100 meters in Salt Lake last Wednesday, Kenneth Andam holds a No. 15 national ranking in the event, as well as the top spot in the conference in the 200 meters (20.77) to lead a talented group of BYU sprinters. No. 7-ranked Kyle Grossarth will try to improve on his NCAA automatic mark (49.82) in the 400-meter hurdles after running the second-fastest time ever by a Cougar at the BYU Tri-Meet May 6. Marc Chenn is the heavy favorite in the high jump, an event in which he is ranked No. 14 with a season-best 7-2.5. Also appearing in the national rankings is freshman Curtis Pugsley, ranked No. 20 in the decathlon after racking up 7,174 points at the Robison Invitational.

"There are some really good people coming in here, so things should be very exciting," said coach Willard Hirschi. "I think we should score points in each event, and there are a few events we should score big in. When the competition is good, our kids rise to the occasion and perform extremely well."

The competition begins Wednesday, May 17, at 12:30 p.m. with the first half of the heptathlon and decathlon events. The rest of the events are scheduled for Friday, May 18, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 20, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., when an awards ceremony will take place. Wednesday and Thursday's events are free to the public. Admission is $10 for an all-session family pass, $4 for an individual single session on Friday and $5 for Saturday only. Children (high school and under) are $2 for Friday and $3 for Saturday. All events will be held at the BYU Track just south of Cougar Stadium.