ALAMOSA, Colo. (December 3, 2016) – The indoor season officially began on Saturday as Adams State University hosted the ASU Early Grizzly Open at the High Altitude Training Center (HATC).
The Grizzlies served as host to West Texas A&M, New Mexico Highlands University, Fort Lewis College, and Trinidad State Junior College.
The indoor circuit couldn't have started any better for
Sydney Gidabuday and
Jenna Thurman who both cruised to first-place, and automatic qualifying marks, in the men's and women's 5000 meter run.
With a time of 14:58.03, Gidabuday ran to a HATC facility and meet record. The previous HATC record of 15:06.30 was set by former ASU great Kevin Batt in 2014. Thurman followed with a HATC facility and meet record also as she crossed the finish line in 17:30.39 in the women's 5000m run.
After Gidabuday's stellar start to the meet, five other ASU men took home first-place honors.
Oliver Aitchison (1:55.85) won the 800m run with a provisional time to fend off teammate
Robert Guinn (1:58.09) who came in second. A strong finish from
Brian Glassey (8:54.41) propelled the junior to a first place, and provisional mark, in the 3000m run as
Kristoffer Mugrage (8:56.57) also met a provisional time to place second.
Jonathan Millar led the men's weight throw with a heave of 16.77m as Zach Hornig came in sixth with a distance of 10.78m. The shot put proved to be a source of strength as ASU finished 1-2-3 with
Sam Reid recording a first-place provisional distance of 17.26m. Provisional marks were also set by
Brecht Van Waes (16.64m) who came in second and Millar (16.47m) in third.
Sid Samtaney (56.05) placed first in the 400 meter dash exhibition.
The 60m dash was well represented by the ASU men as
Micah Ballantyne (6.83) placed second with a provisional mark as Sam Bilderbeck (7.05) took third.
Richard Powell (4:27.34) was the top Grizzly finisher in the mile with a fourth place mark.
Sean Fontana (4:33.32) and
Grayson Freeman (4:33.83) went on to claim sixth and seventh place.
Augie Larranaga (22.96) registered points for ASU with a third place mark in the 200m dash while
Wyatt Cunningham (2.00m) had a strong outing in the high jump to place second. '
The ASU men would win the home meet with a score of 93 as West Texas A&M finished in second at 87.
The ASU women collected three first-place marks during the indoor season opener.
Leanne Allen (2:17.89) paved the way for a provisional mark win in the 800m run as teammates
Cari Steen (2:20.25) and
Jessica Scherrer (2:20.42) placed second and third, respectively. In her first collegiate meet,
Kiana Gomez (10.66m) notched a first place mark in the triple jump.
Other notable performances by the ASU women came in the mile, 60m hurdles, 3000m run, weight throw, long jump, and shot put.
Kailie Hartman (5:40.24) and
Carson Severson (5:54.99) finished second and third, respectively, in the mile as Gomez (9.09) and
Katherine Smith (9.35) took fifth and sixth in the 60m hurdles. Gomez (5.11m) would take sixth in the long jump to conclude her well-rounded ASU debut.
In the 3000m run,
Sadie Baker (10:43.99),
Malena Grover (10:59.42), and
Haleigh Hunter-Galvan (11:27.81) place second, third, and fourth overall.
Breann Hawman (11.70m) was the top ASU finisher in the shot put by placing seventh.
Makenna Plott (11.68m) also took seventh in the weight throw.
The aforementioned efforts positioned the ASU women with a score of 108 for third place. West Texas A&M won the women's division with 148 points.
The Grizzlies have an extended break until their next meet on Jan. 20
th at the Cherry & Silver Collegiate Invitational hosted by the University of New Mexico.
For any future updates on ASU track & field, stay connected with
www.asugrizzlies.com
