GUNNISON, Colo.— A partial Colorado Mesa University indoor track & field team claimed two wins and 17 top three finishes at Saturday's Last Chance RMAC Qualifier here in Western Colorado University's Mountaineer Field House.
The meet was the last chance for the Mavs to qualify for next week's conference championship meet, which will be held here on Friday and Saturday.
Three Maverick runners in
Sylvia Johansen,
Alonzo Leiba and
Jessie Schaffer did just that as Schaffer and
Maya Kobylanski claimed event wins.
Schaffer won the 60-meter hurdles in a career-best time of 9.16 seconds and moved up to 12
th on the RMAC's season-long performers list with an altitude-adjusted time of 9.20 as of Saturday night. She had come into the weekend ranked 17
th and on the bubble for selection with only the top 18 declared athletes in each individual event following this weekend earning the right to compete at the conference meet.
Schaffer also had an indoor career best of 26.73 seconds to take second in the 200 meters ahead of
Rimari Facey, who finished third in 27.14.
Meanwhile, Kobylanski won the 800 meters in 2:23.06, but ranks 24h on the season-long list with an altitude and track size converted time of 2:19.42.
Quin Dedrick took second in the 800 on Saturday in 2:28.10 while also finishing third in the mile with a time of 5:26.61.
Elsewhere, Johansen did just enough in the 60 meters and now ranks 18
th on the RMAC list with an altitude-adjusted time of 7.86 seconds after finishing second on Saturday in 7.82.
Abby Varner finished third in the 400 meters with a time of 1:04.86 while
Atahlia Mills took second in the hurdles in 9.29 seconds but still sits tenth on the RMAC list with her season-best of 9.04 seconds.
In the field, Emily Hurby recorded a career-best of 5.39 meters (17-8.25) to take third in the long jump. She now ranks 21
st on the RMAC list and will have an outside chance of RMAC Championship qualification if three athletes ahead of here do not declare.
Elly Thiem also recorded a season-best weight throw effort of 14.03 meters (46-0.5) to place third. She also led a group of four Maverick shot putters with a tenth place effort of 10.36 meters (34-0).
Leiba led the Maverick men, taking second in the 200 meters with a season-best time of 22.30, which put him 14
th on the RMAC list with a converted mark of 22.03 seconds.
Blake Ames also recorded a third place time of 51.69 seconds in the 400 meters while
Jayden Thulson took second in the 800 with a time of 1:59.86.
Meanwhile,
AJ Iarusso took second in the 60-meter hurdles with a clocking of 8.71 seconds while
Owen Frank, Thulson,
Peter Leary and
Quintin Collins turned in a time of 11:00.46 in the Mavs' first attempt at the distance medley relay this season. They took second.
In the field,
Van Chambers continued a strong season with a second place finish in the weight throw with a mark of 17.97 meters (58-11.5). He set the Maverick record in that discipline last week.
Chambers also set a career-best shot put effort of 14.38 meters (47-2.25) on Saturday moving up to No. 7 in program history.
