SUU briefs

TRACK AND FIELD: At Walnut, Calif., Sharla Manuele provided the highlights for Southern Utah as the senior blazed to a school-record time of 16:05.67 in the women's 5,000-meters, marking one of the top ten times in the country in the event this year. SUU was also represented with a bevy of top-five performances as the Thunderbirds wrapped up competition at the Mt. SAC Relays and the Azusa Pacific Bryan Clay Invitational.

Manuele's race was the pinnacle of Southern Utah women's success at the Mt. SAC Relays as the senior finished in fourth-place of her Olympic Development heat of the 5,000-meters. Manuele was only five seconds behind the first-place finisher, but beat athletes from Iowa State, Colorado, Arizona, Texas Tech, Utah, Arizona State, BYU and a Mexican National.

Carlos Valle led the way for the SUU men at the meet, finishing in second place in the men's discus with a mark of 179 feet eight inches. The mark was a mere two feet outside of first place, held by Arizona State's Jordan Clarke with a distance of 181 feet one inch.

Southern Utah recorded a total of 13 top-five finishes in Walnut, California, including a fifth-place finish by Christina Day in the women's 400-meters (55.35) and a third-place finish in the women's 100-meter hurdles by Shaye Maurer (13.95). Day recorded her time in the fastest heat of the 400-meters as fellow sprinter Shaka Richardson recorded a sixth-place finish in the men's 100-meters in the fastest heat of that race, crossing the line in 10.91.

In Asuza, Southern Utah athletes recorded 42 top-five finishes in various heats and flights. The Thunderbirds tallied ten individual titles at the meet, including three on the men's side and seven on the women.

Dallin Tavoian raced to a first-place finish in his heat of the men's 400-meters with a season-best time of 49.43. Dallas Eborn recorded the best time for the men in the 1,500-meters (4:00.45), running in the fastest heat, but finished fourth. Gary Hatch, finishing his heat in 4:03.91, notched the second first-place nod for the T-Birds.

Phillipe Renaud's toss of 159 feet one inch was the top mark for the T-Birds in the men's hammer and was the final first-place finish for the T-Bird men.

On the women's side, Haley Bice (100m; 12.60), Meghan Reilly (800m; 2:16.22), Manuele (1,500m; 4:27.17), Jasmine Paicely (100m-hurdles; 14.64) and the 4x100-meter (47.01) and 4x400-meter (4:07.38) relay teams all recorded first-place finishes in their respective heats.

Off the track, Adrienne Hill turned in the only first-place finish for the women after recording a mark of 166 feet four inches in the women's hammer throw.