Bulldogs Show Strong Perfomance In Indoor Track Opener
1/15/2012 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
SEATTLE, Wash. - The Gonzaga University track teams opened the 2012 indoor season setting school records at the University of Washington Preview Saturday.
In the women's 3,000 meter, redshirt sophomore Emily Thomas finished 11th overall and in Section 3 in 10:02.36 to set a school in both indoor and outdoor competition. Franceska Fairbanks previously set the indoor record with a time of 10:11.03 in 1997 while in the outdoor Brenn Donnelly clocked in 10:15.84 in 2010. In the other heat races, junior Lauren Bergam turned in a 10:32.53 mark to finish 10th in Section 2 while redshirt junior Kirsten Lightfoot finished third in 10:56.85 in the first heat.
On the men's side of the 3,000 meter, Junior Tate Kelly also set a school record with a time of 8:32.48, placing 13th overall and fourth in Section 3. His time bested Pat Hill's record of 8:34.30 which he set in 1991. Redshirt junior Andrew Walker was seventh in the same heat in 8:38.97. Redshirt junior Chris Boyle won Section 2 in 8:36.97 while freshman Kyle Branch led the efforts in Section 1 with a second-place finish in 8:53.66.
In the one mile run, redshirt junior Lindsey Drake finished eighth, both overall and in Section 3, in 4:59.30 to set the school record, including both outdoor and indoor competition. Sophomore Emily Albrecht (5:31.22) and redshirt freshman Lara Tuthill (5:31.58) finished third and fourth in Section 1, respectively.
On the men's one mile run, redshirt freshman Robert Walgren established a school record of 4:11.91 to finish second in Section 2, 13th overall. Jared Gregorio finished seventh in Section 1 in 4:25.51.
"It was a great day for Gonzaga," head coach Pat Tyson said. "We got to wear the jersey in an indoor meet for the first time and we had established some pretty good marks early in the season. To be able to come to the Dempsey Indoor facility and open up with those marks is pretty cool. (Assistant coach) Patty Ley, (volunteer assistant coach) Rich Nelson and I are very, very happy with our kids and we know we are going to have some great things down the road."
The Bulldogs will return to the Husky campus for the University of Washington Indoor Invitational Jan. 27-28.
