Buffs Defend Pac-12 Steeplechase Title, Women in First Place

Saturday, May 13

Eugene, Ore.

12:35 PM

Colorado

Pac-12 Championships

Buffs Defend Pac-12 Steeplechase Title, Women in First Place

May 13, 2017 | Track and Field

Results Madison Boreman on Pac-12 Network

By: Maggie Still, Assistant SID

EUGENE, Ore. – For the sixth straight year, the Pac-12 women's Steeplechase title goes to University of Colorado, as freshman Madison Boreman took home the event title here Saturday at the Pac-12 Championships.

The Colorado women put together a strong showing on the first day as the team placed first and second in both the Steeplechase as well as the 10,000 meters. The women are currently in first place after the first day of competition with 44 points. UCLA sits in second with 37 points.

WHAT HAPPENED
Freshman Madison Boreman won her first conference title in the 3,000-meter steeplechase crossing the finish line in a PR time of 10:06.83. This is the Buffs ninth straight steeplechase conference title for the women, and six straight in the Pac-12. Overall, five Buffs have won 10 steeplechase titles in the last 11 years. Jenny (Barringer) Simpson won a pair of titles (2007 and 09), Emma Coburn captured three crowns (2010, 11 and 13). Shalaya Kipp was a two-time winner (2012 and 14) while Erin Clark earned back to back titles in 2015-16. Teammate and sophomore Sage Hurta came in right behind Boreman finishing with a PR 10:07.87 time to finish second.

Colorado also picked up big points from the 10,000 meters as Erin Clark won her third overall Pac-12 conference title after winning the 10k. This was Clark's first 10k of the season, and she made it count, recording an impressive time of 33:23.92 to win the event. Clark moves up to fourth on the all-time top performers for CU and becomes the fifth Buff to win a 10k conference title. The last time was Sara Slattery who won the title in 2005.

The Buffs dominated the 10,000 meters as Makena Morley placed second with a time of 33:29. Annie Kelly finished fifth (33:39.35), Melanie Nun came in sixth (33:46.49) and Carrie Verdon finished in ninth (33:46.63). These distance runners helped push the Buffs into the lead on the women's side.

On the men's side of the 10,000 meters Ryan Forsyth placed seventh with a PR time of 29:32.38. Ethan Gonzales finished right behind in eight place with a 29:33.47 time.

Saturday was also the qualifying day for many events on the track. The Buffs advanced a trio to the 1,500 finals. On the men's side, Joe Klecker finished seventh with a time of 3:46.95 while Ben Saarel came in ninth, crossing the finish line in 3:47.59 to qualify for finals. On the women's side, Dani Jones finished second with a time of 4:21.43 to move on to the finals heat Sunday.

The qualifying races kept coming for the Buffs. Jaron Thomas was third overall in the 110-meter hurdles, finishing with a PR time of 13.84. Nick Harris also advanced in the 800 meters finishing in a strong 1:51.54 to place fourth overall.

CU advanced an impressive three Buffs in the 400 meter hurdles on the men's side with Jaron Thomas, Trenton Stringari and Kodie Artner. Thomas finished in fifth with a time of 52.50, Stringari right behind him in sixth (52.87) and Arnter slipping into the finals in eighth with a time of 53.20. On the women's side, Eriana Henderson qualified for finals as she finished in sixth place with a time of 1:00.84.

UP NEXT: The championships conclude Sunday. Action starts at 1:45 p.m. with the men's discus. The Buffs are currently in first on the women's team race with 44 points, while the men are in 10^th with 13 points.

QUOTABLE (Head Coach Mark Wetmore)
"Long, rainy, sort of difficult conditions, but turned out some good results for us. Men's 4x100 meters got a surprising opportunity to advance to the finals. It was a patched together team with a couple late withdrawals. They are through to the finals and hopefully can get us a few points. Happy with them."

"The hurdlers were great today. Burke [Bockman]has done a very good job with his hurdlers. Jaron [Thomas] is through in the final of the short hurdles. And Jaron, Trenton and Kodie with Eriana are all through in the 400 hurdles. There will be some points there tomorrow."

"The men's distance runners are not having their best Pac-12 but, a guy who has never done the steeplechase got us a point there with Zach [Perrin]. Two guys that have never done the 10,000 meters for us at this level got us a few points there to get us a little bit of a start there."

"Of course, a really big day for the women in the Steeplechase and the 10,000 meters. A whole bunch of points. The women are in the lead of the meet at the end of the first day. A whole lot of events to come tomorrow."

"Ben and Joe both advanced comfortably in the 1,500. They walked away from it in pretty good shape, so they are in the finals tomorrow. Same with Nick [Harris] a well-executed win of his heat in the 800 meters which he walked away from comfortable."

"I was hoping for about 55 points as a team at the end of the first day and the women are already at 44."

Pac-12 Championships May 13, 2017
Eugene, Oregon

Track Events
Men 4x100 Relay: (1.USC, 39.31) 8. Colorado, 42.74
PRELIMS Men 1,500 Meters: (1. Carlos Villarreal, Arizona, 3:46.22) 7. Joe Klecker, 3:46.95; 9. Ben Saarel, 3:47.59
PRELIMS Women 1,500 Meters: (1. Katie Rainsberger, Oregon, 4:21.10) 2. Dani Jones, 4:21.43
PRELIMS Men 110 Hurdles: (1. Ashtyn Davies, Cal, 13.65) 3. Jaron Thomas, 13.84; 11. Alexander Billing, 14.59; 15. Isaiah Oliver, 15.01
PRELIMS Women 100 Hurdles: (1. Alaysha Johnson, Oregon, 13.08) 13. Maja Wichhart-Donzo, 14.17
PRELIMS Women 400 Meters: (1. Elexis Guster, Oregon, 52.39) 19. Alexandria Peters, 57.17
PRELIMS Men 100 Meters: (1. Kyree King, Oregon, 10.18) 18. Jaysean Skrine, 10.83
PRELIMS Men 800 Meters: (1. Matthew Swanson, Washington St., 1:50.51) 4. Nick Harris, 1:51.54; 10. Justice Ramos, 1:52.18
PRELIMS Women 800 Meters: (1. Brooke Feldmeier, Oregon, 2:06.05) 10. Karina Mann, 2:09.25
Men 3,000 Steeplechase: (1. Bailey Roth, Arizona, 8:39.83) 8. Zach Perrin, 9:06.39; 12. Chris Herrick, 9:18.94
Women 3,000 Steeplechase: (1. Madie Boreman, 10:06.83) 2. Sage Hurta, 10:07.87.
PRELIMS Men 400 Hurdles: (1. CJ Allen, Washinton State, 50.83) 5. Jaron Thomas, 52.50; Trenton Stringari, 52.87; 8. Kodie Artner, 53.20; 13. Isaiah Kaiser, 53.78
PRELIMS Women 400 Hurdles: (1. Sage Watson, Arizona 56.50) 6. Eriana Henderson, 1:00.84; 11. Gabby Scott, 1:01.46
PRELIMS Women 200 Meters: (1. Deajah Stevens, Oregon, 22.70) 12. Rajon O'Quinn, 24.18; 20. Tashay Brown, 25.30
Men 10,000 Meters: (1. Edward Cheserek, Oregon, 29:11.76) 7. Ryan Forsyth, 29:32.38; 8. Ethan Gonzales, 29:33.47; 13. Reilly Friedman, 30:24.35; 14. Christian Martin, 30:27.76
Women 10,000 Meters: (1. Erin Clark, 33:23.92) 2. Makena Morley, 33:29.22; 5. Annie Kelly, 33:39.35; 6. Melanie Nun, 33:46.49; 9. Carrie Verdon, 34:14.63.

Field Events
Men Hammer: (1. Brock Eager, Washington St., 221-1/67.39) 14. Matthew Denton, 174-11/53.31; 18. Grayson Webber, 160-11/49.06
Men Long Jump: (1. Damarcus Simpson, Oregon, 26-1/7.95) 13. Isaiah Oliver, 22-5.25/6.84
Women Long Jump: (1. Rhesa Foster, Oregon, 20-6.5/6.26) 19. Mariah Slack, 178.75/5.40; 23. Eriana Henderson, 16-6.5/5.04
Men Pole Vault: (1. Matthew Eckles, Arizona State, 16-7.5/5.07) 11. Andrew Ghizzone, 15-0/4.57
Men High Jump: (1. Isaiah Holmes, UCLA, 6-11.5/2.12) 13. Dionne Taylor Jr., 6-4.75/1.95; 18. Giancarlo Narvarte, 6-4.75/1.95
Women Javelin: (1. Mackenzie Little, Stanford, 173-11/53.02) 12. Delaney Hall, 140-4/42.77