Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Shine At Stanford Twilight
April 23, 2016 | Track and Field
STANFORD, Calif. – University of Colorado freshman Dani Jones cruised to the fifth fastest 1,500-meter time in the NCAA this season, clocking in at 4 minutes, 15.29 seconds on Friday night at the Stanford Twilight.
Jones finished the night third overall. Fresno State's Annemarie Schwanz won in 4:14.89 – the second fastest time this season - and Stanford's Molly McNamara clocked in with the fourth best time in the NCAA this season (4:15.22).
The time also put Jones seventh on CU's all-time list behind four Olympians Jenny Simpson (3:59.90), Emma Coburn (4:06.87), Shayne Culpepper (4:10.80) and Kara Goucher (4:12.15), as well as Sara Sutherland (4:11.06) and Kelly Smith (4:13.88).
“Dani was the star tonight for us at Stanford,” head coach Mark Wetmore said. “Her 4:15 is a freshman school record, and is pretty high on our all-time list.”
The Buffs had a good showing from the rest of the women in the 1,500. Senior Maddie Alm was 10th (4:22.26), sophomore Erin Clark was 12th (4:22.87), sophomore Mackenzie Caldwell tied for 18th (4:26.51), sophomore Kaitlyn Benner placed 20th (4:26.54) and freshman Tayler Tuttle finished 25th (4:29.82).
Junior Nick Harris led the Buffs in the men's race, finishing in 3:43.07, which won the second section and placed sixth overall. Just like the women, the rest of the CU men performed well.
“Nick also ran well, and improved his regional mark,” said Wetmore.
Senior Morgan Pearson finished 10th (3:44.33), freshman Joe Klecker was 12 (3:45.32), senior Ammar Moussa placed 13th (3:45.40), freshman John Dressel finished 15th (3:45.59), senior Connor Winter was 18th (3:46.28) and Zach Perrin finished 24th. (3:47.80)
Freshman Elissa Mann started the night's action for the Buffs, finishing the 800-meter run in 2:05.78, becoming the third fastest Buff ever in the event. Her time was ninth overall and is the fastest time recorded by the Buffs since 2011. Her sister, Karina Mann, ran a season best 2:13.88, which was 14th. On the men's side, freshman Justice Ramos also recorded a 14th place finish, crossing the line in 1:54.95.
Colorado didn't disappoint in the 5,000-meter run either and were led by freshman Cayla Seligman, who's huge PR of 16:16.78 placed fourth overall. Prior to Friday's race, Seligman's PR had been 16:52.02, which she recorded on April 1 at the Stanford Invitational. Junior Carrie Verdon ran her first 5k of the season and placed seventh in 16:19.89. Freshman Ryan Forsyth was fourth overall in the men's race, finishing just off his PR with a time of 14:01.36.
“Cayla was great in the 5k - about fifteen seconds faster than I was hoping for,” Wetmore said.
The Buffs' steeplechasers were in competition at California's Brutus Hamilton Open and Challenge in Berkeley, Calif. earlier in the day. Sophomore Adam Peterman won the men's invitational section, crossing the finish in a season-best 8:55.92. Sophomore Val Constien earned a personal best in the women's racing, earning a third place finish in 10:08.18, which put her sixth on CU's all-time performers list. Lucy Cheadle, a graduate student, placed fourth overall in 10:42.47.
“The steeplechaser had to run over at Cal,” Wetmore said. “They did well. Val was great and had a huge PR. Adam took a nice step and probably secured a spot in the regionals.”
A little bit closer to home, Colorado finished the first day of the Colorado School of Mines Nature's Bakery Invitational in Golden, Colo. with a couple outstanding performances in the field events. Sophomore Mariah Walker won the shot put with a PR throw of 51 feet, seven inches, moving into second on the Buffs' all-time performers list behind Melisa Weis (54-6). It was the furthest throw for the Buffs in nearly 10 years as she passed Carly Newlands mark of 51-00.75 from April 29, 2006.
“Mariah was great again with another PR and regional qualifying improvement,” Wetmore said.
Christian Shaver, a freshman, was second overall in the javelin after earning a personal best of 189-0 in just the second meet of his collegiate career. The mark puts him seventh all-time at CU.
The Buffs will wrap-up action at the CSM Nature's Bakery Invite on Saturday.
2016 Stanford Twilight
Stanford, Calif.
Track Events
Women's 800-Meters: (1. Maggie Vessey, unattached, 2:02.18) 9. Elissa Mann, 2:05.78; 14. Karina Mann, 2:13.88
Men's 800-Meters: (1. Joseph White, Georgetown, 1:46.67; 14. Justice Ramos, 1:54.95
Women's 1,500-Meters: (1. Annemarie Schwanz, Fresno State, 4:14.89) 3. Dani Jones, 4:15.29; 10. Maddie Alm, 4:22.26; 12. Erin Clark, 4:22.87; 18. Mackenzie Caldwell, 4:26.51; 20. Kaitlyn Benner, 4:26.54; 25. Tayler Tuttle, 4:29.82
Men's 1,500-Meters: (1. Brannon Kidder, Penn State, 3:40.11) 6. Nick Harris, 3:43.07; 10. Morgan Pearson, 3:44.33; 12. Joe Klecker, 3:45.32; 13. Ammar Moussa, 3:45.40; 15. John Dressel, 3:45.59; 18. Connor Winter, 3:46.28; 24. Zach Perrin, 3:47.80
Women's 5,000-Meters: (1. Charlotte Taylor, San Francisco, 16:95.88) 4. Cayla Seligman, 16:16.78; 7. Carrie Verdon, 16:19.89
Men's 5,000-Meters: (1. Craig Nowak, Oklahoma State, 13:54.37) 4. Ryan Forsyth, 14:01.36
2016 Brutus Hamilton Open & Challenge
Berkeley, Calif.
Track Events
Women's 3,000-meter steeplechase: (1. Shuangshuang, Shanghai, China, 10:01.68) 3. Val Constien, 10:08.18; 4. Lucy Cheadle, 10:42.47
Men's 3,000-meter steeplechase: 1. Adam Peterman, 8:55.92
2016 CSM Nature's Bakery
Golden, Colo.
Field Events
Women's Shot Put: 1. Mariah Walker, 51-7/15.72
Women's Javelin: (1. Ashlyn Hanson, Chadron State, 123-3) 3. Elisa Grandemange, 122-1.50/37.22; 37.22; 5. Makenzie Kline, 107-3.25/32.69
Men's Shot Put: (1. Kyle McArthy, Chadron State, 52-9.25) 6. Austin Swanson, 41-2.50/12.56; 7. Grayson Webber, 40-2.75/12.26; 10. Christian Shaver, 37-0.50/11.29
Men's Javelin: (1. Jeff Stephens, CSM, 191-7.50) 2. Christian Shaver, 189-0/57.60
