BYU Continues Strong Start to Season at Air Force Invite

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – BYU track and field won a combined nine events at the Air Force Invite as the meet came to a conclusion on Saturday at the Cadet Fieldhouse.

The three-day meet is one of the only times the Cougars compete in a scored meet outside the NCAA Track & Field Championships. Despite traveling a more condensed squad than usual, the BYU men took second place (101 points) and the women finished third (75 points) out of 12 teams.

Final Results & Team Standings

DAY THREE

Zach McWhorter continued to perform at a high level in the men’s pole vault, clearing 5.56m/18-2.75 to take first place in the event. The All-American’s mark solidifies his hold on the third-best vault in the NCAA this season, improving on last week’s 5.55m/18-2.5 performance.

After setting the school record in the women’s 60m last week with a time of 7.31, Jaslyn Gardner clocked another sub-7.40 time at the Air Force Invite. The junior ran a 7.35 in the finals to win the event.

All-American Michael Bluth won the men’s 400m with a season-best time of 47.24. Teammate Cortez took third place with a time of 48.35, giving the Cougars two of the top-three finishers.

Sierra Freeland continued her strong start to the 2021 season in the women’s shot put, notching her second win of the year with a toss of 14.25m/46-9.

Easton Bianchi edged out a win in the men’s 60m final with a time of 6.81 while teammate Andrew Stuart ran a 6.97 to finish fourth overall. Bianchi returned in the men’s 200m final, taking second place with a time of 21.54. Colten Yardley joined Bianchi in the top three of the 200m final, finishing in 21.65 and placing third.

After setting a personal record of 7.75 in the women’s 60m hurdles prelims, Kayla Parry broke her career record again with a time of 7.70 to take fourth place in the finals. In the women’s high jump, Cierra Tidwell-Allphin cleared a season-best 1.75m/5-8.75 to take fourth place.

The BYU men’s and women’s mile relay teams both took first place at the end of the meet. Yardley, Bluth, Eli Hazlett and Ruiz completed the relay in 3:12.87 to claim the win for the men. Anna Hart, Perry, Chloe Taylor and Brinn Jensen competed for the women, finishing in 3:50.77.

DAYS ONE AND TWO

In the women’s pole vault, Isabel Neal cleared a career-best 4.01m/13-1.75 to claim the victory while Hannah Richardson took fourth place with a mark of 3.65m/11-11.75.

Conner Kennedy won the men’s long jump on the final attempt of the event with a mark of 7.34m/24-1. Ty Wright took third place in the men’s high jump, clearing a height of 2.00m/6-6.75.

Taye Raymond finished fifth overall in the women’s long jump with a distance of 5.65m/18-6.5. Raymond had also advanced to the women’s 60m semis after clocking 7.85 in the prelims, but pulled herself out to participate in the long jump.

The men’s heptathlon started on Thursday and finished up on Friday. Caleb Witsken ended the first day with 2,797 points and Dallin Vorkink totaled 2,768 points through the first four events. While the duo didn’t compete in the seventh event, Witsken still finished in seventh place with 4,596 points.

BYU track and field will compete next at the UW Preview in Seattle, Washington. The two-day meet will take place Jan. 29-30 at the Dempsey Indoor Track.