Multiple Cougars set personal track and field bests in Gateway Classic

April 8, 2017 9:49 PM

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EDWARDSVILLE – SIUE Track and Field Head Coach Scott Block went one by one with his women's and men's teams through all of the personal bests after Saturday's Gateway Classic.

"To have a 50 percent PR rate across the team is a successful weekend," said Block. "Home meets are traditionally one of our best meets of the season. This weekend did not disappoint."

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The Cougars counted 16 personal bests not including those competing in an event for the first time.

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"The athletes like performing in front of the friends and family," added Block. "It was a quick competitive meet."

Some of the highlights include:

Nichyria Byrd broke her own school record in long jump with a leap of 6.01 meters (19 feet, 8.5 inches). Byrd actually bettered that mark for her winning jump of 6.25 meters (20-6.25) but the win of 4.4 did not make it a legal jump.
Haley Miller boasted PRs in both the 1500 (4:44.42) and the 3000 (10:22.21)
Keith Meyer broke the four-minute barrier in the 1500 (3:59.79)
Jalea Paslay took second place in the 800 (2:26.72)
Matt O'Connor gained a PR in the 400 (51.33)
Josh White bettered his long jump (21-7.25)
Logan Webb used his fourth attempt to top her previous best in the triple jump (45-7.25)
Dalton Oakes topped his previous best in two events – 110 hurdles (15.35) and the 400 hurdles (57.26)
Claire Nolan shattered her previous best in the hammer with a throw of 161-11
Lizzie Virgl added two feet to her previous PR in the discus (131-11)
Michaela Smith topped off her hammer throw PR (117-5)
Alec Dutton grabbed a huge PR with a throw of 187-8 in the hammer, besting his previous top mark by more than 23 feet.
Nick Matthews placed second in the discus with a new PR (151-3)
Austin Lynch tossed the shot put two feet better than his previous best (46-9)