Nine Buffs Qualify At Mt SAC

            WALNUT, Calif. - Distance runners Natalie Florence and Renee Metivier (steeplechase), Billy Nelson (5,000-m), Christine Bolf, Brent Vaughn, Stephen Pifer (1,500-m) and Pete Janson (steeplechase) all ran NCAA regional qualifying times as did throwers James Begley and Zach Hazen in the discus in the first day of competition here Friday at the 47th annual Mt. SAC Relays here Friday.

            It was the second qualifying marks of the season for both Florence and Metivier, whose Invitational race featured a field that ran the top four times in the world Friday.  Korene Hines won the race in a season world-leading time of 9 minutes, 51.12 seconds.  Former Buff All-American Carrie Messner finished third in 10:00.77 while Metiver (10:13.80) and Florence (10:21.59) were the highest finishing collegians in seventh and ninth place, respectively.  Their marks are now the second and sixth best of the collegiate season nationally.

            "It's not a great night. We're here trying to get regional and national qualifying times.  Only some are getting the marks so far.  Maybe we made some mistakes in our preparation...maybe it's too early in the season," said head coach Mark Wetmore of the 14 Buffs that competed today.

            It was also the second regional qualifying mark for Bolf, first in the 1,500-m, as she recorded a seven second pr in 4:24.20.

            In addition to the regional qualifying marks, five Buffs bettered their previous personal records. The most noticeable was that of Janson, whose 8:52.96 steeplechase was a 12-second pr as well as a qualifying mark and ranks him eighth nationally.  "That's very good right now for a sophomore," Wetmore said.

With a 169-01 second place throw, Begley bettered his pr in the discus by a pair of inches while Hazen's third place 165-8 was a season best.  Air Forces' Daniel St. Clair (170-2) won by a foot,  "Individually, the discus throwers did very well tonight and they are where they need to be this early in the season."  On the women's side, senior Carly Newlands threw a four-inch pr in the discus to finish seventh.

In his first 1,500-m, sophomore Brent Vaughn won his heat in a pr and regional qualifying time of 3:44.38 and finished eighth overall as did Stephen Pifer in 3:46.20 to finish 10th. Teammates Anthony Chiulli (3:51.95) and Daniel Kenney (3:54.78) also ran prs.

            The men's 10,000-m run results, featuring Matt McCue and Jon Severy and slated to begin at 11 p.m. MT will be reported Saturday as will the men's 5k results, where Buffs Nelson, Payton Batliner, James Strang, Ryan Deak and Jon Severy ran, which were not posted at press time.

MT. SAC RELAYS (Walnut, Calif.)

Colorado Finishers Only

Women's 1,500-m (Open/University): 14. Christine Bolf, 4:24.20

Women's Steeplechase (Invitational): 7. Renee Metivier, 10:13.80; 9. Natalie Florence, 10:21.59

Women's Steeplechase (University/Open): 18. Kendall Grgas-Wheeler, 11:04.71

Women's 5,000-m (University/Open): 29. Kalin Toedebusch, 17:19.41

Women's Discus (University/Open): 7. Carly Newlands, 146-10; 11. Cortney Hutmacher, 135-11

Men's 1,500-m (University/Open): 8. Brent Vaughn, 3:44.38; 17. Stephen Pifer, 3:46.20; 20. Anthony Chiulli, 3:51.95; 36. Daniel Kenney, 3:54.78

Men's Steeplechase (Invitational): 10. Pete Janson, 8:52.06

Men's Discus (Open/University): 2. James Begley, 169-01; 3. Zach Hazen, 165-08