BYU track and field: Women leading MWC championships

LARAMIE, Wyo. — Separating themselves from the competition, the BYU women's track team took first and fourth in the heptathlon, placing the Cougars in first place at the Mountain Conference Championships on Thursday in Laramie, Wyo.

"I thought we did a very commendable job, especially when you consider the conditions," said BYU women's throwing coach Dick Legas. "Amy Menlove's ability to gut it out while dealing with a back injury was very impressive." Menlove led the way for the No. 10 nationally-ranked Cougars winning the heptathlon with a total of 5,325 points. Menlove's score is an NCAA National provisional qualifying mark.

"I just wanted to come out here and give it all I had," Menlove said.

"I was happy with how I competed and where I was able to finish." Menlove's top finish earned BYU 10 points, propelling the Cougars into first-place going into Friday's events.

She began the day with a first-place finish in the long jump.

Menlove's regionally qualifying mark of 20-05.00, is the fourth best jump in the MWC.

"It was a lot of fun to be out there," Menlove said. "We have a great conference and good competition, which always makes it more exciting." The junior All-American and National Champion ended the day in impressive fashion, taking second in the 800-meter event (2:24.11).

Menlove finished ahead of Meaghan Peoples of TCU, who took second with 5,060 points and Kristen Kugler of Colorado State, who took third with 4,997 points.

Mindy Robins also contributed to the Cougar point total with a fourth- place finish in the heptathlon, earning her team five points.

Robins took second in the javelin throw with a personal best mark of 121-05.00. BYU enters the third day of competition with 15 points, six points ahead of second-place Colorado State.

"We are exactly where we want to be after the first event," Legas said.

BYU will continue their Championship run tomorrow, beginning at 11 a.m. MT with the women's hammer throw.

WAC CHAMPIONSHIPS: Utah State senior John Strang won his third-straight Western Athletic Conference decathlon title Thursday in the second day of competition at the 2009 WAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, hosted by USU at the Ralph Maughan Track Stadium in Logan.

Strang finished with 7,030 points while freshman Jon Goble collected fourth-place in the event with 6,448 points.