UVU loses heartbreaker at WAC indoor track and field championships

After holding a commanding lead after day one on Feb. 27 over four-peat champions Grand Canyon University, the men’s team competed well individually. But, couldn’t bring the team score together for the win on day two, Feb. 28. Overall, the UVU men took second and the women took fourth at Jackson Track in Boise, Idaho.

Going into the last event, the UVU men’s team led GCU by half of a point. The winner of the 4x400m relay would be crowned the 2020 WAC indoor track and field champions. Due to the small size of indoor tracks only three teams could compete at the same time. 

UVU began in heat one, and went out strong with sophomore Seth Dabb, junior Zane Farrer and seniors Albert MacArthur and Ty Jones. They paced the baton around well and won the heat with a time of 3:18. 

In heat two, GCU just had to beat 3:18 to five-peat as WAC champions. GCU began the race in second with a few good surges by their second and third legs and narrowed the gap. Going into the final lap of the race, GCU’s final runner kicked hard and crossed the finish line, still in second for the heat, but with a time of 3:17. The one second victory for GCU put them in first by one and a half points to win the meet.

Men

Every point counted on the men’s side as they came close to overthrowing the defending champions. Isaac Manning led the way on Friday, winning the pole vault with 4.76m and scoring 10 team points for the Wolverines.

The depth of the Wolverine’s distance team seems uncontested at whatever meet they’re at. In all they scored 64 of the team’s total points.  Adrian Jones was one of those wolverines, finishing in first in the mile with a time of 4:13. His teammate, and WAC cross country champion Kevin Lynch, finished his indoor track and field career with a second place finish in the 5000m

Women

The UVU women can always find several points from their supreme distance team, as was mentioned for the men as well. Junior Hannah Branch finished with a commanding first place finish in the 5000m and third place in the 3000m run.

Her Sophomore teammate Mazzie Melaney, ran well throughout the meet. She finished third in the mile with a solid time of 5:06.

Up Next

Despite the loss, the UVU men and women’s teams have competed well individually and as a team all season. They won’t likely forget GCU’s victorious chants as the outdoor season begins. The Wolverines will have two weeks to train hard before their outdoor season starts.