Clark, Murphy Win 3k MPSF Titles, Women's 4x4 Sets CU Record
February 27, 2016 | Track and Field
SEATTLE — The Buffaloes claimed the men's and women's 3,000-meter titles and set the school record in the women's 4x400-meter relay to wrap-up competition at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Indoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday.
University of Colorado sophomore Erin Clark earned her first MSPF title, her second conference crown overall, after clocking a time of 9 minutes, 8.29 seconds, which currently ranks 11th in the NCAA Division I. Clark was able to hold off California's Bethan Knights at the finish as Knights finished in 9:08.77.
The Buffs dominated in the 3k as another sophomore, Kaitlyn Benner, placed third in 9:09.75. The time put her 13th on the NCAA list at the moment. Both Clark and Benner raced personal records that put them third and fourth, respectively, on CU's all-time performers list behind Jenny Simpson (8:42.03) and Sara (Gorton) Slattery (9:07.16).
The men followed the women and did not disappoint as seniors Pierce Murphy and Connor Winter went 1-2. Murphy won his first conference title in 7:51.51 to become the fourth fastest Buff, while Winter was second after clocking in at 7:51.85 as CU's fifth fastest performer.
At this point, both of those times also rank high on the NCAA list. Murphy's time is 12th, while Winter's mark is 14th.
The Buffs also got some good points in the 3k from senior Morgan Pearson, who ran a time of 7:54.28 for fifth place, and another senior, Ammar Moussa, who took eighth after running 8:00.06.
CU had a few other racers in the 3k who did not score. Freshman Joe Klecker was 11th overall (8:02.33), while sophomore Ryan Forsyth took 16th with a nice PR of 8:08.91. In the women's race, junior Carrie Verdon was 24th (9:45.58).
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The women's 4x400-meter relay set the CU record to close the day, running 3:42.52. The quartet, which consists of senior Eileen Gehring, sophomores Ana Holland and Alex Peters, and freshman Gabby Scott, ran a full second faster than the previous record of 3:43.52, which was set in 2013 (Gehring was on that relay team as well). The relay placed fifth overall, picking up four points for the team score.
In the men's mile, running a sub-4 minute mile is a very elite club at the CU, which gained a new member on Saturday when sophomore Zach Perrin finished his race in 3:59.00.
Perrin's time, which placed fourth overall, also put him second all-time in CU history behind Jake Hurysz, who ran 3:58.13 in 2015. In total, only four Buffs have run under four minutes: Hurysz, Stephen Pifer (3:59.55), current Buff (Connor) Winter (3:59.76) and now Perrin.
The women also performed well in the mile. Freshman Dani Jones recorded a 4:39.56 time for fourth place, while senior Maddie Alm placed fifth with a personal best of 4:42.24, picking up nine points for the team score. Freshman Taylor Tuttle and sophomore Lucy May also ran. Tuttle finished 14th overall (4:52.77), while May was 30th (5:03.69).
Isaiah Oliver was the only freshman in the 60-meter hurdle finals and he placed eighth overall after clocking in at 8.28. Oliver made the finals after tying for seventh on Friday by running 8.15, which was the fastest by a Buff this season.
Both the men's and women's teams recorded their highest finish at the MPSF meet. The women's placed fifth with 50 points, while the men were ninth (31).
Just a freshman, Elissa Mann won her heat of the 800-meter run in 2:09.58, a PR. The time was just shy of scoring for the team as she placed ninth behind Cal's Rebecca Croft (2:08.27).
In the sprints, Gehring just missed scoring for the Buffs in the 400 despite winning her heat, crossing the finish in 55.42, which was .03 from the eighth place finisher. Peters took 14th overall (55.89), while Scott was 21st (56.31).
Colorado's men just missed scoring in the 400 as well with freshman Duane McClurkin Jr. placing 10th in 47.96. Darrin Haynes, a sophomore, was 21st (49.14).
The men's 4x4000 relay ran their fastest time of the year, clocking in at 3:14.92, to place ninth. Junior Garrett Losty led off and was followed by McClurkin Jr., Haynes and Oliver. The time ranks 10th in CU history.
Andrew Ghizzone, a sophomore, wrapped up action in the heptathlon with 5,111 points, which was 13th overall. He raced 8.66 in the 60-hurdles and then vaulted 15-1. He finished the day running the fastest 1,000 of the day in the heptathlon, clocking in at 2:38.46.
In the high jump, a trio of Buffaloes, seniors Kelsey English and Abrianna Torres, and sophomore Rajon O'Quinn, cleared 5-4.50 to tie for 15th. Freshman Dionne Taylor Jr. jumped 6-6.75 in the men's high jump to place 14th. In the shot put, sophomore Mariah Walker placed 13th (45-6.50) and freshman Maja Wichhart-Donzo took 14th (38-5.50) in the triple jump.
The NCAA will announce the field for the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships on March 1. Nationals will be held March 11-12 in Birmingham, Ala.
2016 MPSF INDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Dempsey Indoor (Seattle, Washington)
Women's Team Scores
1. Oregon 108; 2. Stanford 73.75; 3. USC 59; 4. Washington State 54.50; 5. Colorado 50; 6. Washington 47.75; 7. BYU 47.50; 8. Arizona State 44; 9. Arizona 43; 9. California 43; 11. UCLA 34; 12. Oregon State 14; 13. Long Beach State 11; 14. Utah 9; 15. Portland 8; 16. Cal State Northridge 6.75; 17. Hawai'i 4.50; 18. UC Irvine 3; 19. Cal State Northridge 2.25.
Men's Team Scores
1. USC 90.50; 2. BYU 82; 3. UCLA 73; 4. Oregon 72; 5. Arizona State 59; 6. Stanford 51.50; 7. Washington 49.50; 8. California 48; 9. Arizona 42; 10. Colorado 38; 11. Long Beach State 20.50; 12. Washington State 19; 13. Portland 9; 14. Cal State Northridge 8.
Heptathlon
Points: (1. Steele Wasik, UCLA, 5,783) 13. Andrew Ghizzone, 5,111
60-Meter Hurdles: (1. Steele Wasik, UCLA, 8.08) 11. Ghizzone, 8.66
Pole Vault: (1. Jackson Walker, BYU, 16-00.75) t4. Ghizzone, 15-1
1,000-Meters: 1. Ghizzone, 2:38.46
Track Events
Women's Mile: (1. Ashley Maton, UO, 4:38.32) 4. Dani Jones, 4:39.56; 5. Maddie Alm, 4:42.24; 14. Tayler Tuttle, 4:52.77; 30. Lucy May, 5:03.69
Men's Mile: (1. Izaic Yorks, UW, 3:53.89) 4. Zach Perrin, 3:59.00
Men's 60-Meter Hurdles: (1. Devon Allen, UO, 7.60) 8. Isaiah Oliver, 8.28
Women's 400-Meters: (1. Kendall Ellis, USC, 53.11) 9. Eileen Gehring, 55.42; 14. Alex Peters, 55.89; 21.0Gabby Scott, 56.31
Men's 400-Meters: 10. Duane McClurkin, Jr., 47.96; 21. Darrin Haynes, 49.14
Women's 800-Meters: (1. Olivia Baker, SU, 2:04.28) 9. Elissa Mann, 2:09.58
Women's 3,000-Meters: 1. Erin Clark, 9:08.29; 3. Kaitlyn Benner, 9:09.75; 24. Carrie Verdon, 9:45.58
Men's 3,000 Meters: 1. Pierce Murphy, 7:51.51; 2. Connor Winter, 7:51.85; 5. Morgan Pearson, 7:54.28; 8. Ammar Moussa, 8:00.06; 11. Joe Klecker, 8:02.33
Women's 4x400-Meter Relay: (1. Arizona, 3:32.54) Colorado (Alex Peters/Ana Holland/Gabby Scott/Eileen Gehring, 3:42.52
Men's 4x400-Meter Relay: (1. USC, 3:07.32) 9. Colorado (Garrett Losty/Duane McClurkin Jr./Darrin Haynes/Isaiah Oliver, 3:14.92
Field Events
Women's Shot Put: (1. Brittany Mann, UO, 56-00.50) 13. Mariah Walker, 45-6.50
Women's High Jump: (1. Kiana Davis, WSU, 5-10.50) t15. Abrianna Torres, 5-4.50; t15. Kelsey English, 5-4.50; t15. Rajon O'Quinn, 5-4.50
Men's High Jump: (1. Zachary Blackham, BYU, 7-2.50) 14. Dionne Taylor Jr., 6-6.75
Women's Triple Jump: (1. Isabella Marten, Cal, 42-10.75) 14. Maja Wichhart-Donzo, 38-5.50
Players Mentioned
