SPOKANE, Wash. - Shelby Mills and Troy Fraley both broke meet records at the 15th annual Cougar Invitational hosted by Washington State University Saturday.
In the women's 5,000 meters, Mills won the event with a personal record time of 16:38.77. She climbs from seventh to fourth on the Gonzaga all-time list with her finish. The Zags had the top three finishes in the event, as Maggie Jones (17:10.80) and Zoe Urcadez (17:52.85) placed second and third.
"Maggie took out the 5,000 and led for the first 3k," GU women's head coach Patty Ley said. "That strong tempo helped propel Shelby to the meet and personal record. Maggie and Jessica Mildes completed the distance at a solid tempo pace after racing hard last week."
Fraley broke the 15-year-old meet record in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase. The sophomore took first place in the event with a time of 9:13.39. The old record, set by Idaho State's Randy Reeder, was 9:14.49. Fraley owns the GU program record of 8:56.23 set at the San Francisco State Distance Carnival this season. His time is 23rd in the west region currently.
Nick Roche, who owns the second-best time in Gonzaga history, placed second Saturday at 9:18.43. His personal record is 8:59.29 set last year; his season-best of 9:00.19 is 38th in the region. Kyle Branch placed third at 9:36.38. In fourth, Kellen Manley ran a personal record of 9:36.74, improving the seventh-best time in program history.
The Zags swept the top five finishes in the men's 1,500 meters. Andy Phillips took first at 3:53.14. Brandon Pollard (3:54.84) and Matthew Crichlow (3:55.31) followed closely behind in second and third. In fourth and fifth, Conor McCandless (3:55.37) and Colin O'Neil (3:55.52) rounded out the top finishes.
After running the 1,500 meters, most of the runners doubled back in the 800 meters, and nine Zags finished under two minutes. Kinsly Smith finished third with a time of 1:56.34. McCandless placed fourth at 1:56.46. Jerry Sicalo, Pollard (1:57.09, 7th), Crichlow (1:57.60, 9th) and Graham Wendle (1:58.29, 10th) all had top 10 finishes. McCandless, Sicalo and Crichlow all ran personal records.
Robert Walgren had a second place finish in the 5,000 meters. He ran a 14:55.25, while Max Kaderabek had a personal record of 14:56.14. Jack Pearce (14:57.25, 5th), Braeden Van Deynze (15:01.67, 6th), and Danny Lunder (15:04.23, 7th) all had top 10 finishes as well.
"A bit windy today," Gonzaga Director of Track Pat Tyson said. "It was chilly! Not really perfect conditions. We had a hard act to follow after the Oregon and Mt. SAC Relays. Still, it we had great test efforts and now get ready for dead week and finals prior to our trip to Provo, Utah."
In the women's 1,500 meters, Katy Culver placed second with a time of 4:52.21. Corrine Murray (4:55.19) and Olivia Evans (4:57.18) both had personal records and finished in fourth and fifth. Molly Stroosma (4:59.01, 7th) won her heat in her first attempt at the distance. Jordan Thurston (4:59.01, 9th) also ran a personal record.
Claren Fraher had a fourth place finish in the women's 800 meters. She crossed the line at 2:21.57. Lauren Saunders was close behind in sixth at 2:26.59. Kelly Williams came in second in her heat, eighth overall, with a time of 2:28.85.
"Chilly day and a bit of wind, but it was nice to be down in Pullman," Ley said. "We haven't gotten a lot of breaks on the weather after our opener at Whitworth in March, but our women have raced well in whatever circumstances they have faced. They are gearing up for the last couple of weeks of the academic year and those going to Provo, and later to Austin, will get in another light training cycle. It will be nice to relax a bit physically over the next couple of weeks."
The Bulldogs have a break until the BYU Last Chance Invitational on May 14. Gonzaga will take a select number of student-athletes to the meet for the final opportunity to qualify for the NCAA West Preliminary meet.
"I'll process the results and attempt to make the call for the four men's spots open to compete in Provo sometime this week," Tyson said.
