May 15, 2014
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West Coast Invite Results | Additional Meet Coverage
SALEM, Ore. Seven personal records were recorded Thursday night, including potential NCAA West Regional qualifying marks, as a dozen members of the LMU men's and women's track teams competed in the West Coast Invite hosted by Willamette University.
The meet served as a final opportunity to lower times headed into next week's postseason selection.
Freshman Kyra Burke got the evening slate off to a hot start as she crushed her previous personal, and LMU all-time, record of 10:46.22 in the 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 10:32.99. Entering the week, the No. 48 time in the West Region was 10:34.73, while Burke's mark Thursday night would rank No. 46.
Sheree Shea and Danielle Shanahan followed with a 1-2 finish in the 1,500m, both achieving personal best times. Shea, who is already a postseason lock in the 5K and 10K events, turned in a winning time of 4:22.58, which would rank No. 38 in the West Region (updated through 5/12).
Shanahan, meanwhile, trimmed nearly two seconds off her best time in the 1,500m with a 4:25.32 finish. In the most recently released rankings, three athletes were tied at No. 46 at 4:23.28.
In the women's 5K, Grace Graham-Zamudio raced to a personal record 16:19.82, which would rank No. 39 in the most recent Regional rankings. Kelli Sugimoto also achieved a personal record time in the event, finishing in 16:33.49.
On the men's side, Weston Strum won the 1,500m in 3:44.10, just shy of his all-time best of 3:42.67, which was the 18th fastest time time in the West Region entering the week.
Fellow senior Kevin Joerger posted a massive PR in the 5K, placing second in 14:10.09. The time far eclipsed his previous best time of 14:22.68 as he now ranks second in LMU's all-time record book. Senior John Pickhaver rounded out the personal records set by the Lions with his 14:41.28 5K finish.
The official NCAA Regional Qualifiers list will be released Thursday, May 22 with the West Regional beginning May 29 in Fayetteville, Ark.
