OREM, Utah – The UVU men’s and women’s track and field team hosted an historic meet at Hal Wing Track and Field as the Wolverines had 22 athletes break into the school record books. Maria Blad, Hannah Branch, and Isaac Manning all broke long-standing school records as UVU took first in its Senior Night event, defeating teams from the Big Sky, Mountain West, WAC, and the WCC. The women’s team took first place and the men’s squad took fourth for a cumulative first place finish.
“This was by far the best home meet we’ve ever had and arguably the best meet we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said Utah Valley head track and field coach Scott Houle. “Great performance on every level and we were able to have a lot of movement on our top-ten lists. We’ve also been able to move into the WAC and national rankings. Really happy for our athletes and for all the work they’ve put in to get here. We have a great bunch of athletes and I’m excited to see what they can accomplish the rest of the year.”
On the women’s team, Blad and Branch set new school records. Blad broke the school record in the 100H with a time of 13.93. Branch set a UVU record in the 5000m, clocking in at 16:27.08. Savanna Routsong set a new personal record in the hammer with a distance of 54.32, keeping her in second place in school history. Maezzi Mund threw a personal best 13.31m, good for fourth all-time in school history.
Maddie Empey moved into sixth all-time in the 5000m with a time of 17:01.17. Taylor Viertel and Larissa Dabb both moved into eight in the record books, with Viertel clocking in at 2:12.57 in the 800m and Dabb finishing the 400m with a personal-best time of 56.77. Viertel also moved into sixth in the 1500m with a time of 4:29.60. Mazzie Preston moved up to eight in the 5000m, clocking in at 17:05.65. Maddy Beyeler beat her previous best in hammer by five meters with a distance of 47.02m, good enough for ninth all time.
On the men’s squad, Isaac Manning broke the school record in the pole vault with a distance of 16’10.75″. Josh Clark set a personal best in the hammer with a distance of 48.08m, good enough for eight. Clark also broke his previous best throw in the shot put with a distance of 16.12, moving him into second place in the UVU record books. Aaron Johnson climbed into second place in school history in the long jump with a distance of 7.62m. Johnson also set a personal best in the 200m, finishing with a time of 21.19, good enough for fourth all time at UVU. Zane Farrer moved into fourth all time in the 110H with personal record of 14.37.
Austin Kleinman moved into eight in the top-ten with a personal-best throw in the discus with a distance of 43.48m. Caleb Furnell climbed into eighth all time at UVU in the 200m with a time of 21.30. Austin Hone now sits in eight in school history in the 1500m with a time of 3:50.50 and Kyle Routsong moved into ninth in UVU history in the hammer with a personal-best throw of 47.84m.
Dylan Clements climbed into ninth all time in the long jump with a distance of 6.66m and Thomas Pickford now also sits in ninth all time in the 1500m with a time of 3:50.90.
The Wolverines continue its outdoor season, returning to UNLV for the UNLV Spring Invitational on Thursday through Saturday, March 18-20, in Las Vegas. UVU then travels to Arizona for the Arizona Jim Click Shootout in Tucson, Ariz. on Thursday through Saturday, April 8-10.
