UW track concludes MWC meet

Babbitt wins 100-meter hurdles

By Wyoming Sports.org

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The University of Wyoming track and field teams finished with six all-conference selections and three conference champions in the Mountain West Conference Championships, as the Cowboys finished sixth and the Cowgirls placed seventh.

Junior Shaylee Babbitt was crowned 100-meter hurdles champion as she crossed the tape in 13.62 seconds, one one-hundredth behind her regional qualifying time that she ran at the Front Range Invite in Laramie two weeks ago. Babbitt, who placed third in last year’s race and a very close second in the indoor 60-meter hurdles, finally won her first conference championship.

As for the rest of the Cowgirls, sophomore Johnna Jeffries placed sixth in the high jump, clearing the bar at 5-foot, 5 inches. Also scoring points for the Cowgirls was junior Nikki Peterson, who ran a season best time in the 800-meter in 2:16.75, as well as sophomore Emily Higgins, who placed seventh in the 1,500-meter run in 4:32.68. Freshman Erica Anderson ran a 57.59 in the 400-meter dash and took eighth for the Cowgirls.

Earning all-conference honors with her win in the hammer throw yesterday and a toss of 192-9, senior Kate Burton earned third place in the discus throw with her personal best and regional qualifying mark of 158-5. She was closely followed by junior Courtney Gougler in fourth place at 149-2. Senior Gretchen Johnson also earned all-conference honors, as she did in the indoor season, with her third place finish in the 5,000-meter run.

For the Cowboys, sophomore John Alderson earned all-conference for the second straight outdoor season when he was third in the triple jump at 46-7¼, five feet short of defending champion and national leader Jonathan Jackson of TCU. Freshman Jeremiah James, coming off his win in the long jump Friday, took fifth with a flight of 44-7½.

In the 1,500-meter run, freshman Eliud Chirchir ran a 3:53.19, good for ninth place, just missing scoring for the Cowboys.

Junior Kekoa Chavez ran a personal best 52.98 in the 400-meter hurdles to take sixth place and score three points.

"Our young team got to see just how they stack up against the rest of this very strong conference," UW head coach Don Yentes said. "They will have all summer to rest and improve their skills for the next indoor season. I look forward to our competitors in the up-coming regional meet to make some noise and qualify for nationals."