Women’s track and field travels south for New Mexico Cherry & Silver Invite

PROVO, Utah – The women’s track and field team heads to familiar territory this weekend to compete in the annual Cherry & Silver Invitational. The University of New Mexico will host the event.

“This weekend is going to be more competitive with more teams,” head coach Patrick Shane said. “Our athletes will be running at 6,000 feet, which will be helpful for some of the events but more difficult for others, particularly for our distance runners. New Mexico has a great track many of our girls are familiar with, so we expect good things.”

Other teams competing in the invitational include the Academy of Art University, No. 9 California, Colorado State, New Mexico State, Portland State, No. 20 San Diego State and No. 13 Stanford.

Last week the Cougars sent portions of their team to two different events, the BYU Invitational and the Boise State Invitational. The throwers competed at BYU while the sprinters, jumpers and distances runners competed at Boise State.

Sophomore Brianna French and senior Deezbaa Whaley highlighted the BYU Invitational with second-place finishes in the discus and the weight throw. French finished with a throw of 44.38 meters in the discus just behind Utah Valley University’s Maryn Pincock who threw for 45.20.

In the weight throw, Whaley competed unattached with a throw of 17.96m, a new personal record. This was Whaley’s first competition since the 2010 indoor season.

During the Boise State Invitational, the Cougars dominate with first-place finishes in four different events. Walk-on freshman Rachel Stewart finished first in the 800m with a time of 2:14.97 in her first collegiate track competition. Transfer student Kelsey Brown took first in the mile, her first race as a Cougar, with a time of 4:51.31.

Andrea Nelson Harrison and Rachel Fisher also both took first in the 3,000m and the pole vault, respectively.

Due to the elevation of the invitational this weekend, many of the distance runners are not traveling with the team to compete.

The meet is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. MST with the women’s long jump.

Live results can be found at liverunningresults.com following each event.