Utah State's women's and men's track and field teams won three events as part of 25 top-six finishes Friday during day one of the University of California hosted Brutus Hamilton Invitational in Berkeley, Calif.
Winning events for USU were sophomores Cree Phillips Taylor in the women's 400m hurdles with a personal-best time of 1:04.85 and Chari Hawkins in the women's high jump with a height of 1.69m (5-06.50). Junior Bryce Hall won the men's discus with a toss of 52.37m (171-10), while also placing fourth in the shot put with a mark of 16.48m (54-01.00).
Sophomores Rachel Orr and Jodi Williams matched the same height in the women's high jump as Hawkins with a 1.69m (5-06.50) leap and were awarded second and third places, respectively, on judge's decisions. Fellow sophomore Mariah Thompson and freshman Chelsey Taylor also jumped into the top six of the high jump event as Thompson cleared 1.64m (5-04.50) for fifth place and Taylor lept 1.59m (5-02.50) for sixth place.
In the women's 400m hurdles, junior Dana Wareham and freshman Megan Klingensmith tabbed fifth and sixth place finishes with times of 59.75 and 1:01.83, respectively. Senior Ruth Hilton crossed the finish line in fourth place in the 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 11:25.24, while junior Aubriann Bosen placed fourth in the shot put with a toss of 11.35m (37-03.00). Sophomore Melanie Heslop and junior Keeley Eldredge garnered third and fourth place honors in the discus with marks of 41.14m (135-00) and 41.12m (134-11), respectively. Eldredge also placed fifth in the hammer with a throw of 51.99m (170-07), while Heslop placed sixth in the same event with a mark of 51.92m (170-04).
On the men's side, sophomore Michael Cardinal threw the shot put 16.73m (54-10.75) to place second and finished fourth in the discus with a mark of 45.82m (150-04), while freshman Kevin Allen placed third in the discus with a throw of 49.65m (162-11). Sophomore Dan Mosman finished third in the 100m hurdles (15.24) and sixth in the long jump with a leap of 6.06m (19-10.75). Also placing third for the Utah State men were freshman Spencer Russell in the 800m (1:55.73) and sophomore Jacob Barton in the 3,000m steeplechase (9:18.67). Senior David Cluff tabbed a fifth place finish in the 3,000m steeplechase (9:38.94), while freshman Jacob Bautista Jr. placed sixth in the 200m (22.49).
Saturday's portion of the meet will start at 10:30 a.m. (MT) with the field events, and the running events will kick off at 1:30 p.m. The invitational is set to conclude after the women's and men's 4x400m relays at 4:50 p.m. and 5, respectively.
After this weekend's competition, USU track and field will take a week off to prepare for the 2013 WAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships that will be hosted by the University of Texas at Arlington on Wednesday through Saturday, May 8-11.
USU results
Women:
100m Hurdles - 8. McKenzie Johnson, 17.40
200m - 9. Laycee Elliott, 25.70
400m - 5. Dana Wareham, 59.75; 6. Megan Klingensmith, 1:01.83
400m Hurdles - 1. Cree Phillips Taylor, 1:04.85
800m - 11. Katherine Vande Pol, 2:21.72
1,500m - 9. Stephanie Burt, 4:41.34; 11. Brittany Bushman, 4:44.91; 16. Amanda Stoudt, 4:54.17
3,000m Steeplechase - 4. Ruth Hilton, 11:25.24; 7. Lecy Skousen, 11:51.02
5,000m - 25. Karlee Deeter, 18:50.55
High Jump - 1. Chari Hawkins, 1.69m (5-06.50); 2. Rachel Orr, J1.69m (5-06.50); 3. Jodi Williams, J1.69m (5-06.50); 5. Mariah Thompson, 1.64m (5-04.50); 6. Chelsey Taylor, 1.59m (5-02.50); 7. Bri Campbell, J1.59m (5-02.50); McKenzie Johnson, NH
Long Jump - T-7. Aubriann Bosen, 5.03m (16-06.00)
Shot Put - 4. Aubriann Bosen, 11.35m (37-03.00); 9. McKenzie Johnson, 10.10m (33-01.75); 12. Cree Phillips Taylor, 9.58m (31-05.25); 13. Abby Andrews, 8.54m (28-00.25); 14. Chari Hawkins, 8.43m (27-08.00)
Hammer - 5. Keeley Eldredge, 51.99m (170-07); 6. Melanie Heslop, 51.92m (170-04); 12. Julia Klingler, 40.78m (133-09)
Discus - 3. Melanie Heslop, 41.14m (135-00); 4. Keeley Eldredge, 41.12m (134-11); 7. Abby Andrews, 39.07m (128-02)
Men:
100m Hurdles - 3. Dan Mosman, 15.24
200m - 6. Jacob Bautista Jr., 22.49
800m - 3. Spencer Russell, 1:55.73
1,500m - 11. Tyler Roberts, 3:57.83; 17. Drew Povey, 4:00.42
3,000m Steeplechase - 3. Jacob Barton, 9:18.67; 5. David Cluff, 9:38.94
5,000m - 7. Chris Martinez, 14:49.17; 13. Kade Jensen, 15:02.32; 20. Mike Bills, 15:23.15; 26. Tom Derr, 15:55.63
Long Jump - 6. Dan Mosman, 6.06m (19-10.75)
Pole Vault - Sam Nelson, NH
Shot Put - 2. Michael Cardinal, 16.73m (54-10.75); 4. Bryce Hall, 16.48m (54-01.00); 7. Kevin Allen, 14.28m (46-10.25); 10. Dan Mosman, 11.10m (36-05.00)
Hammer - 9. Bryce Hall, 53.18m (174-06); 14. Kevin Allen, 46.38m (152-02)
Discus - 1. Bryce Hall, 52.37m (171-10); 3. Kevin Allen, 49.65m (162-11); 4. Michael Cardinal, 45.82m (150-04)
Doug Hoffman is the assistant athletic director for Utah State University Athletic Media Relations.