BYU track: Graham takes third at Armory Collegiate Invitational

NEW YORK - The No. 19 BYU men's track and field team wrapped up its trip to New York with nine top-10 finishes during the final day of the Armory Collegiate Invitational.

"I thought we did very well today," head coach Mark Robison said. "David Graham ran exceptionally well in the 800 and we had a few good times in the mile run as well. I think we made some improvements this week so it was a good trip."

In the 800-meter run, Cougar freshman Graham took third overall in the championship division. Graham won his heat with a time of 1:50.67, a personal record.

BYU's distance runners continued to perform well, with two top-10 finishers in the mile run. Jared Ward placed third in the championship division with a time of 4:03.67 and Tommy Gruenewald took seventh with a time of 4:04.96. Both times were season-best marks for the athletes. In the college division, freshman Dylan Shawhan placed third with a time of 4:11.96. Taylor Farnsworth ran the mile in 4:14.41 to take 10th place in the college division.

Conner Peloquin took 10th place in the college division of the 3,000-meter run with a time of 8:32.39. Trevor Fuhriman also ran in that race, finishing in 8:39.11, good for 14th place.

In the eastern division of the men's high jump, Sam Rockwood and Russell Nielson both finished in the top 10. Rockwood tied for fifth, clearing 6-06.75 while Nielson took ninth and cleared 6-04.25.

Victor Weirich took third place in the championship division of the men's pole vault. Weirich cleared a height of 17-08.50 while fellow Cougar Braydon Bringhurst cleared 16-06.75, good enough to tie for 11th place. Just as he has the past two meets, Weirich competed with a shorter approach this week as he returns to full form after an ankle injury earlier this year.

"Victor vaulted extremely well today," Robison said. "I think next week we'll finally work him up to using a full approach again, but he's done phenomenally well the past couple weeks on those short approaches."

Next week the Cougars will send athletes to compete at the Husky Classic at the University of Washington and the Air Force Team Challenge at Air Force Academy.

Mason Porter is a Sports Information Director for BYU Athletic Communications. Contact him at mretrop@gmail.com.