RESULTS TEAM SCORES ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The Nevada Wolf Pack track & field team finished the Mountain West Indoor Championships strong Saturday, turning in several point-earning performances and a new record on the all-time list.
Nevada had a total of seven athletes score points in the final day of the meet to give them a total of 52 points, putting them in seventh place. The all-time list saw some major changes, with five spots shifting and Fiyin Olusola breaking the 60 meter hurdle record. Nevada ended up with their best finish at the conference championships since taking third in 2013.
After a month in a boot, Olusola was ready to go in the final 60 meter hurdle race, getting over her nerves in the preliminaries. Coming over the final hurdle, the junior's face hardened to pass into fifth my a margin of just .06 seconds for four points. Better yet, Olusola's time of 8.52 set a new school record on the Nevada indoor all-time list, an accomplishment she had been working toward all season.
"It's such a good feeling breaking the record considering what it has taken up to this point," said the hurdler. "I just feel really blessed being able to run today and score my team some points."
The day started out strong in the field events for the Pack. In the shot put, both junior Anna DuBois and freshman Brandi French earned new personal records, with DuBois moving to fourth on the Nevada all-time list. Her throw of 48 feet and 5.5 inches earned her fourth place, picking up five points for the Pack. French ended up in a very close fifth with a throw of 48 feet and 3.25 inches, putting four more team points on the board.
Over at the high jump pit, Leah Carter, Kinsey Minter and Nicole Wadden all earned a spot on the podium. While Wadden couldn't quite match her personal record jump set in the pentathlon on Thursday, her jump of five feet and 8.75 was good enough for fifth. Minter ended up tied in fifth with her teammate, equaling a new personal record for the senior. Carter scored the team a strong six points with her third place finish, coming in at five feet and 10 inches, putting her toward the top three in the record book.
"I'm really happy with my high jumpers and throwers," said assistant coach Scott Williamson. "They had such an amazing day and I'm so proud. Their hard work showed as we scored more points in the shot put than anticipated and a lot more points in the high jump than anticipated. They really gave it their all."
The Nevada success continued into the mile. Caitlin Devitt-Payne, after qualifying in the fourth seed yesterday, finished the final in the same spot, racing one of the best times of her career at an unadjusted 4:51.83. Staying in the top five the entire race, the senior held her own as the field began to widen, crossing the finish line less than a second ahead of fifth place in a battle down the stretch. She earned five points for the team with her performance.
The Wolf Pack will get right back on the track next week with the start of the outdoor season. The Pack will travel to Berkeley, Calif. for the Cal Opener on Friday.
