By Laura Peers
The BYU men?s and women?s track and field teams return to Provo after a victorious outdoor season-opener at the Baldy Castillo Invitational in Tempe, Ariz.
The teams set off for the outdoor season, receiving several NCAA regional qualifying marks.
?This was a really good start for our outdoor season,? BYU men?s track and field head coach Mark Robison said in a press release. ?We had a really good meet and I was very proud of the marks we made today.?
The men brought tough competition in the distance races taking first and second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Junior Ryan Merriman took first with a time of 9:09.81 while junior Richard Nelson followed finishing with a time of 9:09.93.
The 1,500-meter race proved to be another strong point for the Cougars with senior Miles Batty finishing first and earning an NCAA regional qualifying mark with a time of 3:46.28.
Racing for the Cougars in the 4x100-meter relay were freshman Rhyan Attrice, junior Bryan Payne and sophomores Tanner Emrich and Aaron Powell. The team joined together placing second with a time of 42.08 seconds. BYU?s 4x400-meter team also placed second with a time of 3:12.59. The relay combined strength from Attrice, Payne, Drew Foster and Nathan Page.
The field events proved strong for the Cougars with senior All-American Whitney Neves taking first in the pole vault with an NCAA regional qualifying mark clearing a height of 17 feet 2.75 inches.
Sophomore Blaine Baked finished second in the javelin with an NCAA regional qualifying mark with a distance of 216 feet 4 inches.
The No. 3 nationally ranked BYU women?s team carried the strength from their indoor season to prove successful at their first outdoor meet.
?We performed well,? BYU women?s coach Dick Legas said. ?This was a low-key meet that gave our athletes an opportunity to get their feet wet and ready for the outdoor season.?
Junior Sandra Mazan finished first in the 800-meter race finishing with a time of 2:09.83 with sophomore Emily Dunn following close behind with a finishing time of 2:10.78.
Freshman Sarah Edwards had a successful outdoor debut with a finishing third in the 1,500-meter event with a time of 4:32.89.
The 2009 Mountain West Conference high jump champion Diana Blauer also proved strong in her event placing second with a jump of 5-7.
The Cougars will travel to Palo Alto, Calif. this weekend for the Stanford Invitational with the competition beginning on Friday.?
lpeers@byu.edu