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Kansas City
WAC Outdoor Championships (hosted by Utah Valley)
UMKC Women Win WAC Championship, Men Take Third
5/16/2015 11:41:00 PM | Track and Field
(Orem, Utah) - The UMKC track and field teams both did something that hadn't been done since 2000, with the women winning the WAC Outdoor Championship and the men finishing third overall. They battled tough conditions all day with temperatures in the 40's and rain.
The women's squad scored 199 points winning its third ever outdoor crown, and first since 2000, while the men had their highest finish since that same season outdoors with 138 points. Junior Dahlia Dyson won the Outstanding Field Performer and the High Point Award, picking up 26 points in the meet. Junior Courtney Frerichs was the Outstanding Track Performer as well, winning two events. Also, Shameika McField was named WAC Coach of the Year on the women's side.
The Kansas City women got the action started early as it went 3-4-6 in the hammer throw in the first event of the day, giving them the team lead for good. Dyson was third (167-03), earning first-team All-WAC, while second-team all-conference honors went to Kelsey Benoit (163-10) and Yasmin Musaddiq (159-07). First-team All-WAC performers finished first, second or third, while second-team is fourth-sixth.
The women's triple jump came next, with UMKC dominating again. Junior Briana Carter won the title with a personal record and the second best mark in school history at 40-02.25. She was followed closely by senior Michelle Momo in fourth at 38-03.25.
Dyson won her second event of the week in the discus with a personal record (147-11), followed in fifth by Musaddiq (132-10). At that point there were four events going on at the same time, and points started to rack up quickly for the 'Roos. Dasjah Mason suprised the field for the title in the high jump with a season-high jump (5-03.75), while Sydia Darker also won her first conference title, taking the 100 meter hurdles with a personal best time of 14.20. Mallory Short was right with her, taking third at 14.24.
Sarah Fogarty took fifth in the 1,500 meter run (4:45.93), before junior Chantel Bethune (55.55) and Carter (56.46) were second and fourth in the 400 meter dash, both of whom set personal records during the weekend. In the 100-meter dash, Kamaya Tucker (12.01) and Genel Rollins (12.15) were third and fifth, respectively, while Rollins' mark was a personal record. Rollins came into the meet with the sixth best time on her own team in the event this season.
Veronica Rollins ran a personal record time of 2:13.84 in the 800 meter run, finishing fourth and clocking the third best time in UMKC history. Patricia Miller ran a season-best time of 1:02.71 to claim a spot on the podium in fifth in the 400 hurdles.
By the time the 200 meter dash started at 4:15 p.m., the 'Roos had the title virtually wrapped up with only three events remaining. Momo and Tucker claimed third and sixth in the event to get nine more points on the total, with only the 5K and 4x400 remaining.
UMKC just went ahead and won both events anyway. Frerichs took the 5K by 18 seconds (17:26.99), and sophomore Megan Mills got on her first (18:12.90) podium with a fifth place finish in the event. The women's 4x400 relay team capped the meet in style after that, taking first with a 3:46.58.
On the men's side, senior Josh Harden, junior Blake Hocking and sophomore Bryce Miller each won WAC Championships on the final day, with Hocking and Miller eaching winning two during the week. Harden won the triple jump with a leap of 48-11.75, while Hocking took the shot put with a toss of 54-04.5, and Miller was victorious in the 5,000 meter run with a time of 15:18.73 in the high altitude, cold weather and rain.
Several 'Roos finished runner-up in their events as well, as freshman Jeremy Harr set a personal record with a triple jump of 47-06.50 to finish behind Harden, and ahead of senior Jason Martin in fifth (46-10.0) to give the 'Roos a 1-2-5 finish in the event. Freshman Harpreet Dosanjh tallied a second-place finish in the javelin (191-11), while Alex Yoxall set a PR with a 183-09 toss to take fourth. Senior Taylor Wardall tallied another second-place finish in the 1,500 meter run at 3:56.80
Both relay teams tallied third place finishes with the 4x100 team coming in at a season-best 41.31 (Kenny Roach, Martin, Brady Adams, Daniel Prioleau), and the 4x400 squad taking a PR time of 3:15.17 (Eric Yarbrough, Prioleau, Zak Snow, Terrone Garner).
Also earning All-WAC honors in the 400 meter hurdles, was Snow in third with a personal record time of 52.23, and Garner in fourth at 53.24.
In all, 28 individuals earned All-WAC honors during the final day of competition.
Some 'Roos will find out in the coming weeks who has qualified for NCAA Regionals, taking place in Austin, Texas May 28-30.
Players Mentioned
