Braden Taylor | Posted: 28 May 2021 | Updated: 10 Jun 2021

Eight women’s distance runners advance to quarterfinals at NCAA West Prelims

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Anna Camp-Bennett - 2021 NCAA Regionals

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – BYU track and field had eight women’s distance runners advance to their respective quarterfinals on the second day of the 2021 NCAA West Preliminary Round at E.B. Cushing Stadium on Thursday.

The Cougars had a total of six runners advance to Saturday’s 1500m quarterfinals. All-American Whittni Orton recorded the fastest time of the day while winning her heat with a 4:16.16. All-Americans Anna Camp-Bennett (4:18.68), Olivia Hoj Simister (4:18.85) and Lauren Ellsworth-Barnes (4:21.45) each finished in the top five of their heats to automatically qualify for the next round while All-Americans Simone Plourde (4:18.95) and Kate Hunter (4:21.03) advanced based on their times.

A little more than an hour after racing in the 1500m, Camp-Bennett doubled in the 800m and clocked a career-best 2:02.83 to advance in the event. Running the fastest time of the day, she broke the facility record at the recently built E.B. Cushing Stadium and recorded the fifth-fastest outdoor 800m in program history.

All-Americans Claire Seymour (2:05.27) and Alena Ellsworth (2:06.41) both finished second in their respective 800m heats to automatically move on to the next round with Camp-Bennett. The 1500m quarterfinal will be Saturday at 5:45 p.m. CDT and the 800m quarterfinal will be later that evening at 7:35 p.m.

The BYU women’s team had a number of athletes compete on Wednesday that did not advance to the next round of their respective events.

The javelin throwers opened the competition for the women’s team. Throwing into a strong headwind, All-American Ashton Riner recorded a throw of 46.50m/152-7, Payge Jauhiainen had ended with a toss of 46.44m/152-4 and Libby Parkinson finished with a mark of 45.83m/150-4.

Sierra Freeland and Gretchen Hoekstre both had strong outings in the women’s shot put. Freeland finished with a mark of 15.66m/51-4.5 and Hoekstre had a toss of 15.20m/49-10.5. Hoekstre will have another opportunity to advance to the national meet on Saturday in the discus.

In the sprints and hurdles, Adaobi Tabugbo clocked a 13.58 in the 100m hurdles and Jaslyn Gardner ran an 11.58 in the 100m dash. In the 400m hurdles, Halley Folsom Walker ran a 1:00.01 and Kayla Perry clocked a 1:00.36.

One of the seven Cougars in the first round of the 1500m, Heather Hanson finished the race in 4:30.88 while Meghan Hunter completed the 800m in 2:12.98.

In the last event of the day, four Cougars raced in the 10,000m semifinal. McKenna Lee Hansen was the first Cougar to complete the 25-lap race in 35:06.69. After battling within the lead pack before tripping up, Aubrey Frentheway finished shortly after her teammate (35:09.67) and was followed by Haley Johnston (35.40.38) and Anna Martin (36:43.39).

Complete Results
Day One Recap

The BYU men’s team will return to action on Friday, May 28 and the women’s team will wrap up competition on Saturday, May 29. Tomorrow’s field events will begin at 1 p.m. CDT and the track events will start at 5:30 p.m. The meet will be streamed on SECN+ and team updates can be found on Twitter.

Wednesday, May 26 - Results

Event Athlete Mark Finish Next Up
Javelin (M) Cameron Bates 71.13m/233-4
 
2nd Final in Eugene, Oregon (June 9-12)
Javelin (M) Michael Whittaker 62.54m/205-2 22nd DNQ
Javelin (M) Max Tooley 60.15m/197-4 33rd DNQ
Pole Vault (M) Zach McWhorter 5.45m/17-10.5 7th Final in Eugene, Oregon (June 9-12)
Pole Vault (M) Caleb Witsken 5.40m/17-8.5 15th DNQ
1500m (M) Lucas Bons 3:43.47 3rd Quarterfinals on Saturday, May 28 at 11:45 a.m. CDT
1500m (M) Talem Franco 3:45.42 10th Quarterfinals on Saturday, May 28 at 11:45 a.m.
1500m (M) Aidan Troutner *4:03.13    *Automatically advanced following successful protest following tripping incident Quarterfinals on Saturday, May 28 at 11:45 a.m.
1500m (M) Elijah Armstrong 3:50.55 39th DNQ
400m (M) Michael Bluth 46.14 12th Quarterfinals on Saturday, May 28 at 1:20 p.m.
400H (M) Colten Yardley 50.60 9th Quarterfinals on Saturday, May 28 at 1:55 p.m.
400H (M) Jesus Serrano 51.47 30th DNQ
200m (M) Landon Maxfield 20.97 28th DNQ
200m (M) Dallin Draper 21.53 43rd DNQ
10,000m (M) Conner Mantz 29:10.91 3rd Final in Eugene, Oregon (June 9-12)
10,000m (M) Connor Weaver 30:42.19 37th DNQ
10,000m (M) Michael Ottesen 31:08.05 44th DNQ

Thursday, May 27

Event Athlete Mark Finish Next Up
Javelin (W) Ashton Riner 46.50m/152-7 26th DNQ
Javelin (W) Payge Jauhiainen 46.44m/152-4 27th DNQ
Javelin (W) Libby Parkinson 45.83m/150-4 29th DNQ
Shot Put (W) Sierra Freeland 15.66m/51-4.5 28th DNQ
Shot Put (W) Gretchen Hoekstre 15.20m/49-10.5 38th DNQ
100H (W) Adaobi Tabugbo 13.58w 41st DNQ
1500m (W) Whittni Orton 4:16.16 1st Quarterfinals on Saturday at 3:45 p.m.
1500m (W) Anna Camp-Bennett 4:18.68 8th Quarterfinals on Saturday at 3:45 p.m.
1500m (W) Olivia Hoj Simister 4:18.85 9th Quarterfinals on Saturday at 3:45 p.m.
1500m (W) Simone Plourde 4:18.95 10th Quarterfinals on Saturday at 3:45 p.m.
1500m (W) Kate Hunter 4:21.03 15th Quarterfinals on Saturday at 3:45 p.m.
1500m (W) Lauren Ellsworth-Barnes 4:21.45 16th Quarterfinals on Saturday at 3:45 p.m.
1500m (W) Heather Hanson 4:30.88 36th DNQ
100m (W) Jaslyn Gardner 11.58 39th DNQ
800m (W) Anna Camp-Bennett 2:02.83 1st Quarterfinals on Saturday at 6:10 p.m.
800m (W) Claire Seymour 2:05.27 5th Quarterfinals on Saturday at 6:10 p.m.
800m (W) Alena Ellsworth 2:06.41 12th Quarterfinals on Saturday at 6:10 p.m.
800m (W) Meghan Hunter 2:12.98 45th DNQ
400H (W) Halley Folsom Walker 1:00.01 29th DNQ
400H (W) Kayla Perry 1:00.36 34th DNQ
10,000m (W) McKenna Lee Hansen 35:06.69 20th DNQ
10,000m (W) Aubrey Frentheway 35:09.67 22nd DNQ
10,000m (W) Haley Johnston 35:40.38 30th DNQ
10,000m (W) Anna Martin 36:43.39 37th DNQ

Friday, May 28

Event Athlete Mark Finish Next Up
High Jump (M) Jake Grimsman 2.11m/6-11 21st DNQ
High Jump (M) Jacob Veres 2.06m/6-9 25th DNQ
Discus (M) Dallin Shurts 56.34m/184-10  12th Final in Eugene, Oregon (June 9-12)
Triple Jump (M) Rickey Fantroy 15.92m/52-2.75 15th DNQ

Saturday, May 29

Time (CDT) Athletes (Seed) Event
11:30 a.m. BYU (No. 13)
- Michael Bluth
- Dallin Draper
- Landon Maxfield
- Andrew Stuart
Men's 4x100m
11:45 a.m. Lucas Bons
Talem Franco
Aidan Troutner 
Men's 1500m
1:00 p.m. Cierra Tidwell Allphin (No. 18)
Mayci Torgerson (No. 43)

Women's High Jump

1:20 p.m. Michael Bluth Men's 400m
1:30 p.m. Sable Lohmeier El-Bakri (No. 27)
Gretchen Hoekstre (No. 38)
Women's Discus
1:55 p.m. Colten Yardley Men's 400m Hurdles
3:15 p.m. BYU (No. 13)
- Michael Bluth
- Dallin Draper
- Landon Maxfield
- Colten Yardley
Men's 4x400m
3:45 p.m. Whittni Orton 
Olivia Hoj Simister 
Anna Camp-Bennett 
Kate Hunter 
Simone Plourde 
Lauren Ellsworth-Barnes

Women's 1500m
(Quarterfinals)

4:10 p.m. Garrett Marsing (No. 3)
Clayson Shumway (No. 8)
Matt Owens (No. 16)
Adam Wood (No. 19)
Kramer Morton (No. 29)
Men's Steeplechase
4:45 p.m. Courtney Wayment (No. 1)
Sara Musselman (No. 18)
Lexy Halladay (No. 23)
Meri Dunford (No. 28)
Madi Moffitt (No. 42)
Women's 3000m Steeplechase
6:10 p.m. Anna Camp-Bennett
Alena Ellsworth  
Claire Seymour 
Women's 800m (Quarterfinals)
7:05 p.m. Casey Clinger (No. 6)
Brandon Garnica (No. 7)
Easton Allred (No. 38)
Michael Ottesen (No. 44)
Elijah Armstrong (No. 45)
Connor Weaver (No. 46)
Men's 5000m
7:50 p.m. Whittni Orton (No. 1)

Women's 5000m

8:35 p.m.

BYU (No. 15)
- Alena Ellsworth
- Lauren Ellsworth-Barnes
- Meghan Hunter
- Claire Seymour

Women's 4x400m