LINCOLN, Neb. -- Samantha Hallman, Audacia Moore, Kiara Moore and
Jennifer Taylor broke a five-year old Wichita State record in the
women's 4x400-meter relay as the Shockers were in action on Saturday,
Jan. 22, at the adidas Classic on the campus of the University of
Nebraska.
Hallman, Audacia Moore, Kiara Moore and Taylor broke a record that was previously set in 2006 when Jenn Synder, Linda Feldberga, Krista Harmon and Tosha Gallegos combined for a time of 3:46.14. Today's time of 3:44.52 is the top time in the Missouri Valley so far this season and ranks 32nd overall in the nation.
The record breaking performance only highlighted a solid day all around for the WSU women's team. The Shocker women finished second overall to nationally ranked Nebraska (12th) at the meet with 115.5 points (Nebraska had 150 pts.). The WSU men came in fifth but fielded a depleted lineup without all-American Tyler Simmons and several other Shockers who were out due to injury.
The women's relay capped a tremendous day for Audacia Moore who won the women's 200-meter dash by beating her own record in the event. Moore, who owns the WSU record with a time of 24.19, moved that mark 0.06 seconds down to 24.13 during today's race. Her time is the 13th best in the nation at this point and is tops in the Valley.
The big story of the day for the men was the performance of the hurdle group. Junior transfer Lawson Montgomery and 2010 Missouri Valley champion Todd McKown continued to showcase why they will be a force in the Valley as Montgomery, who slid into fourth on the WSU all-time list last week, improved upon that mark and now has his sights set on the WSU record after his preliminary time of 7.88 put him second on the list behind only Shannon Armstrong (7.72) and into the top-20 nationally. McKown followed closely behind Montgomery as the Valley Center, Kan., product saved his best performance so far in 2011 for the finals as he came across the line in 7.93, giving him a new personal best and placing him third, behind Montogmery, on the all-time list.
Dylan Hartnett and Jennifer Taylor also made their marks in the Shocker record books as Hartnett moved his previous personal best time in the 400-meter dash from 48.42 to 48.37. Hartnett now stands fifth on the all-time list and slots in 47th on the national list.
Taylor is right behind teammate Danielle Walker in the women's 800-meter run all-time list as the Lawrence, Kan., resident clocked in with a personal best time of 2:12.35, placing second in the race behind Brooke Dinsdale of Nebraska. Taylor's time slots her 27th on the national leaderboard.
Second-year athlete Jake Wike had another impressive performance on the track as the Derby, Kan., product finished the mile in 4:12.19, placing third overall and narrowly missing a spot on the WSU all-time list by a few seconds.
Tonya Nero teammed with another cross country all-American, Aliphine Tuliamuk, to give the Shockers a potent 1-2 punch at the top of the women's 3,000-meter run. Nero barley edged her new teammate by coming across the line in a time of 9:30.10, a new personal best that moves Nero into third on the school's all-time list. Tuliamuk was in with a time of 9:31.30.
The women's 5,000-meter run featured a Shocker sweep as Leah Thompson, Rachel York and Scarla Nero were the top three finishers in the event. Thompson led the field with a time of 17:22.76 while York and Nero were in with times of 17:37.65 and 17:55.73.
La'Taish Brown competed in her first event of the day where the Garden City, Kan., native finished second in the women's long jump, coming in with a mark of 19' 6.25".
Katie Gillmore improved on her season-best vault from last week as the junior transfer cleared 12' 3.5", placing her fourth overall. Teammate Cassie Craig was sixth in the vault, clearing 12' 2.5". Craig also competed in the women's 60-meter hurdle finals where the Wichita, Kan., native came in seventh overall with a time of 9.03. Samantha Hallman was the top Shocker in the event, placing seventh (8.83).
In women's throws, newcomer Emily Cook continued her climb up the WSU all-time list as she went 47' 3" in the weight throw, moving into sixth place. Cook's throw of 45' 10" last week had put her eighth overall. Freshman Jeff Connor improved his personal best in the men's weight throw by more than a foot as he had a top throw of 50' 6", putting him ninth.
Brandon Childs was the top high jumper for the Shockers, coming in with a mark of 6' 8.25".
On Friday, the Shockers sent a group of athletes to the Nebraska Wesleyan Invitational as a precursor to the meet at Nebraska. Austin Bahner clocked in with a preliminary time of 7.04 in the men's 60-meter dash, advancing to the finals where he placed sixth overall with a finals time of 7.06. Multi's Aaron Young, Krzysztof Slupkowski, Jordan Zerr and Toby Boese were also in competition at the meet.
The Shockers will take a week off before hosting their second home meet of the season, the Varsity Apartments Shocker Quad & Multi, beginning on Friday, Feb. 4, and running through Saturday, Feb. 5.
