Add Comment    Mar 05, 2011

Utah State Mens Distance Relay Team Shatters School Record

Johnson Clears Career-Best Height In Pole Vault

          LOGAN, Utah Utah State mens track and field distance medley relay team ran their way to the top of the USU Indoor Track and Field record books at the Alex Wilson Invitational in South Bend, Ind., on Friday, March 4, an NCAA Last Chance Meet. 

The distance medley team consists of seniors Jason Holt, Eric Larson, James Allred and freshman Tanner Hunt. They shattered the previous record of 9:58.00, which was set in 1997, finishing in 13th-place Friday night with a time of 9:43.11, a Western Athletic season-best time. 

Holt finished the day running his career-best in the 800m crossing the finish line in 14th-place (1:51.30). Larson and Hunt also ran in other events with Larson breaking the tape in the mile in 20th-place with a time of 4:09.81 and Hunt ending in 15th-place in the 400m (48.64).

Junior John Johnson set a new career-best mark in the pole vault with a jump of 5.08m (16-08.00) at the University of Washington Final Qualifier in Seattle, Wash., on Saturday. Johnson's vault tied him for eighth-place in the meet and is also the second-best height in the WAC this season.  Additionally, the mark is tied for sixth in USU's top 10 list.

Both meets served as NCAA Last Chance Meets, giving athletes one more chance to qualify for the NCAA Indoor National Championships in College Station, Texas on March 11-12.

Senior Clint Silcock is the lone Aggie who has already qualified when he cleared 2.24m in the high jump at the New Mexico Classic on Feb. 4, for an automatic qualifying mark. Several Utah State athletes have hit provisional qualifying marks and will wait to see if they get an invitation as the championship field will be announced on Monday, March 7. 

After the 2011 NCAA Indoor National Championships the Utah State men and women's track and field teams will begin the outdoor season at the Arizona Willie Williams Classic in Tucson, Ariz. on March 17-19.

UTAH STATE RESULTS

MARCH 4-5, 2011

ALEX WILSON INVITATIONAL

SOUTH BEND, IND.

MEN

400m 15. Tanner Hunt, 48.64

800m 14. Jason Holt, 1:51.30

Mile 20. Eric Larson, 4:09.81

Distance Medley 13. 9:43.11 (Jason Holt, Tanner Hunt, James Allred, Eric Larson)

UTAH STATE RESULTS

MARCH 5, 2011

UW FINAL QUALIFIER

SEATTLE, WASH.

MEN

Pole Vault T-8. John Johnson, 5.08 (16-08.00)

-Utah College Sports News staff and wire reports

Article written by

Utah College Sports Wire