Seven additional BYU women's track athletes qualify for ECAC Championships

OGDEN, Utah – During a cold, windy night in Ogden Wednesday, seven additional athletes on the BYU women’s track & field team qualified for the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships, which will be held at Princeton University in Princeton, N.J. next weekend.

“Myself and the team couldn’t be happier with the way things went tonight,” BYU coach Patrick Shane said. “It was cold and windy, but despite all that, our athletes performed well with personal bests that advanced them to the conference championships. Their performances showed how tough they really are.”

The first qualifying marks came from Kelli Ehardt and Amy Moffat in the pole vault. Ehardt and Moffat finished first and second overall with mark of 3.72 meters (12-02.50). The mark is a season outdoor best for Ehardt.

In the 1,500 meters, Laura Young qualified with another personal best. She finished second overall with a time of 4:34.58.

Melissa Merrill had a career best mark in the high jump. On her second to last jump she cleared 1.70m to finish fifth overall. On her last jump she attempted 1.75m and nearly cleared the bar but bumped the bar on the way down, knocking it off the rack.

Deezbaa Whaley, who had previous qualified for the conference championships in the hammer throw, qualified for the discus despite a strong tailwind affecting her throws. Whaley finished second overall with a throw of 46.91m (153-11.00). Abigaille Aguiar Fuller placed third overall with a mark of 43.66m (143-03.00).

Meaghan Heffelfinger also qualified for the conference meet in the hammer throw. In order to qualify, she needed a mark of 51.00m or greater. On her first throw she threw 45.54m and steadily progressed toward the standard throughout the meet. On her last throw, she passed the standard by .05m, placing fourth overall with a mark of 51.05m (167-06.00).

In the shot put, Sharrisa Thayer, a recently returned missionary, set a personal best on her last throw and qualified for the conference meet. She finished third overall with a throw of 13.97m (45-10.00). She also now sits 10^th on the BYU all-time outdoor record board in the shot put.

Nicole Rudd Bringhurst finished first in the 400 meters with a time of 56.49, Candace Eddy Carlisle placed first in the 800 meters in 2:11.71, and Elizabeth Wilson finished first in the triple jump with a mark 11.67m (38-03.50).

Full results from the Weber State Twilight can be found here.