Hansen vaults to seventh all-time with new career mark

LOS ANGELES – Sierra Hansen set a career mark in the pole vault by clearing 13–7.25 (4.15m), placing her among the top 20 pole vaulters in the West, at the Occidental Invitational in Los Angeles Saturday.

“We had a number of really good performances,” BYU head coach Ed Eyestone said. “Angela Shields was also one of them, finishing the 400-meter hurdles in under 60 seconds, which will qualify her for the regional meet, and also Jesse White had a 47.00 in the 400m.”

Shields appears to be peaking at the right time, running a career-best in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 59.54, an improvement of over a half-second. Shields’ time puts her among the top 30 in the West.

White finished fifth in the 400 meters at the meet and first among collegiate athletes with his time of 47.00. He improved by three tenths of a second from his previous best time and now looks to be a lock for the West Regionals. White was followed by teammates Sean Adams and Mario Harper with times of 47.42 and 47.55, respectively.

In women’s pole vault, Hansen took home first place with her career-best performance that now places her seventh all-time at BYU. In men’s pole vault, Braydon Bringhurst finished second, and Kyle Brown finished third, both clearing 16–06.75 (5.05m).

In the long jump, Blake Steeves’ career-best jump of 24–1.75 (7.36m) was good for second place, and puts him in contention for a spot at the West Regionals.

Makenna Smith placed third in the 1500m, running the fastest this season for a BYU runner by finishing in 4:22.29. Smith also holds a team-best time this season in the 5000m. Chase Horrocks also showed well in the men’s 1500m placing ninth overall and third among collegiate runners with a time of 3:45.89. Horrocks’ time was a personal-best by three seconds and will likely place him in the West Regionals.

Mitchell Briggs’ nine-second improvement in the 3000-meter steeplechase will place him near the cutoff for qualifying to regionals. If Briggs gets in, BYU will have six individual men’s qualifiers for the steeplechase.

In the high jump, Zachary Blackham’s jump of 6–10.75 (2.10m) was good for third place. Nicole Laws placed fourth in the women’s high jump clearing 5–08.50 (1.74m).

The Cougars will return home next week and host the BYU Last Chance Invitational. The meet will take place May 13-14 at the Clarence F. Robison Track and Field Complex and will be the final meet before the NCAA West Regionals May 28-30 in Austin, Texas.