Multiple Cougars set personal track and field bests in Gateway Classic

EDWARDSVILLE – SIUE Track and Field Head Coach Scott Block went one by one with his women's and men's teams through all of the personal bests after Saturday's Gateway Classic.

"To have a 50 percent PR rate across the team is a successful weekend," said Block. "Home meets are traditionally one of our best meets of the season. This weekend did not disappoint."

The Cougars counted 16 personal bests not including those competing in an event for the first time.

"The athletes like performing in front of the friends and family," added Block. "It was a quick competitive meet."

Some of the highlights include:

• Nichyria Byrd broke her own school record in long jump with a leap of 6.01 meters (19 feet, 8.5 inches). Byrd actually bettered that mark for her winning jump of 6.25 meters (20-6.25) but the win of 4.4 did not make it a legal jump.
• Haley Miller boasted PRs in both the 1500 (4:44.42) and the 3000 (10:22.21)
• Keith Meyer broke the four-minute barrier in the 1500 (3:59.79)
• Jalea Paslay took second place in the 800 (2:26.72)
• Matt O'Connor gained a PR in the 400 (51.33)
• Josh White bettered his long jump (21-7.25)
• Logan Webb used his fourth attempt to top her previous best in the triple jump (45-7.25)
• Dalton Oakes topped his previous best in two events – 110 hurdles (15.35) and the 400 hurdles (57.26)
• Claire Nolan shattered her previous best in the hammer with a throw of 161-11
• Lizzie Virgl added two feet to her previous PR in the discus (131-11)
• Michaela Smith topped off her hammer throw PR (117-5)
• Alec Dutton grabbed a huge PR with a throw of 187-8 in the hammer, besting his previous top mark by more than 23 feet.
• Nick Matthews placed second in the discus with a new PR (151-3)
• Austin Lynch tossed the shot put two feet better than his previous best (46-9)

The SIUE track and field team next heads to Terre Haute, Indiana, Saturday for an Ohio Valley Conference vs. Missouri Valley Conference matchup.

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