BYU’s Birk-Jarvis Sets School Record At NCAA Qualifiers
May 25, 2019, 3:35 PM
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The BYU track and field team had a great day at the NCAA West Preliminary meet on Friday.
The Cougars’ success was headlined by a school-record performance in the steeplechase by Erica Birk-Jarvis. The All-American won her heat with a time of 9:42.54 to qualify for the NCAA Championships and set a new program record.
Birk-Jarvis was one of eight Cougars to qualify on Friday for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
“So many good things happened tonight,” BYU track coach Ed Eyestone said. “It was very exciting to have eight athletes punch tickets to nationals tonight. Erica especially was phenomenal in her record-breaking performance. She looks so strong right now.”
FIVE SCHOOL RECORDS IN LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS
Erica Birk-Jarvis:
👑 3000m Steeplechase
👑 5000m (Outdoor)
👑 Mile (Indoor)
👑 3000m (Indoor)
👑 Distance Medley Relay#BYUTF #GoCougs #BYU pic.twitter.com/hTmr6LcaNU— BYU Track and Field (@BYUTFXC) May 25, 2019
Other Cougar women who qualified for Nationals included Anna Camp-Bennett and Lauren Ellsworth-Barnes in the 800-meter and Brenna Porter in the 400-meter hurdles.
On the men’s side, four Cougars qualified in the steeplechase. Kenneth Rooks won his heat at the Prelims while Matt Owens, Clayson Shumway and Jacob Heslington also made it to the NCAAs based on their times.
BYU advanced seven runners to the Nationals on the first day of the West Prelims on Thursday.
The Cougars will finish their competition at the West Prelims on Saturday. Official results from the first two days of the meet can be found here.