A BYU track and field runner races past his competition at the MPSF indoor championships in February. (BYU Photo)
Connor McMillan and Aaron Fletcher were among several BYU track and field athletes who qualified for regionals and earned personal-best marks at the Mount Sac Relays and the Beach Pacific Coast Invitational in California over the weekend.
BYU head track and field coach Ed Eyestone said the Mount Sac Relays was a great opportunity for distance runners to compete before the regional meet.
'This was big for them,' Eyestone said. 'Many of them had already qualified two weeks ago at Stanford, but this gave them an opportunity to possibly qualify in another event.'
Both McMillan and Fletcher finished with regional-qualifying times in the 5,000 meters, a second event for both. Fletcher already qualified in the 3,000-meter steeplechase while McMillan's 10,000-meter performance already qualified him for the regional meet.
Craig Merkley threw a personal best 53.42m in the discus at the Beach Pacific Coast Invitational on Thursday and won his section at the Mount Sac Relays the next day.
Dennis Christensen qualified for regionals in the shot put with a mark of 17.70 meters in Long Beach.
Nine female runners set personal-best times. Kristi Rush qualified for regionals with a personal record of 4:23.90 in the 1,500 meters as she won her section. Ashleigh Warner and Erica Birk finished seconds behind Rush, each with new personal records.
Lauren Shubin, Rush and Emma Gee will likely qualify for regionals as they improved their times in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Kassie Nagel took eighth on BYU's all-time outdoor shot put list with a personal-best mark of 14.73m.
'It was a great meet that will prepare us really well for our home meet next weekend,' Eyestone said.
The BYU track and field team will compete at home at the Clarence Robison Invitational this Thursday through Saturday.