Strong Start to Outdoor Season Continues as NAU Concludes the Texas Relays and Opens the Stanford Invitational on Friday

STANFORD, Calif. - The Northern Arizona University track and field program continued its strong start to the outdoor season by posting some of the best marks in the nation as the Lumberjack throwers concluded their stay at the University of Texas's Texas Relays while the rest of the team opened its weekend of competition at Stanford University's Stanford Invitational on Friday.

Tyler Day finished third in the men's 5000-meter invitational with a time of 13:40.22 which will slot as one of the best times ran in the country this outdoor season. It happened one race after freshman Luis Grijalva won his section of the same event with a 13:49.75 performance which for a brief couple moments led the country before his teammate stole it back from him.

Day's mark was the sixth-best recorded in Big Sky Conference history.

"I was pleased to see Tyler compete well in that given scenario," director of track and field Michael Smith said. "He's ready for an even faster 5000m as the season progresses. He looked great closing and displayed confident and patience. We're looking forward to his May and June as the outdoor season progresses."

"This is the start of what we believe will ultimately be a legendary NAU track and field athlete's career," Smith added. "This is a special performance for Luis and it showed great maturity and confidence running against some of the nation's best athletes tonight and being un-denied in the last 400-meters."

Ashley Taylor finished third in her section of the women's 1500-meter race at with a 4:20.60 performance. Like her run at the 2018 NCAA Indoor National Championships, Taylor showed off her kicking prowess again as she moved from the back of the pack during the final lap to place third.  The time was the fourth-fastest time recorded in NAU history and the seventh-quickest mark all-time in the Big Sky.

As of writing the mark stood as one of the ten best in the nation this outdoor season.

"Ashley's exploration to middle distance running included events such as the 1500-meter," Smith said. "Tonight was another example of her growth. It takes a lot of courage to race in an event she has so little experience with at a competition as tough as this one. This was the fastest 1500-meter in nearly ten years in NAU history."

Jasmine Malone finished second overall in the women's 400-meter dash with 53.12 showing. It was the third-fastest time recorded in Big Sky history during the outdoor season and the second-quickest ever at NAU. It too was one of the best ten marks recorded in the country at press time.

"I love Jasmine's confidence today," Smith said. "If her opener in March is this mark, we are going to witness a special season from her this outdoor season."

Emily Roughan (fifth overall, 16:28.18) and Miranda Myers (sixth, 16:29.47) each set new personal bests in their section of the women's 5000-meter race. Roughan set her new personal record by 35 seconds while Myers bested her old time by almost 13 seconds.

Helena McLeod finished fourth overall in the women's collegiate long jump at 6.04-meters while Cameron Rayford came in fifth in the men's event with a best of 6.92-meters.

Jada Jackson also set a new personal record with a time of 12.07 in the women's 100-meter final which was good for eighth-place.

Parker Joens closed out the Lumberjacks stay at the Texas Relays with a best toss of 15.74-meters. Only the throwers were in Austin while the rest of the program was competing at Stanford.

In total, the Lumberjacks set nine new personal records on Friday.

NAU will be back in action with the conclusion of the Stanford Invitational at Cobb Track and Angell Field on Saturday.

Fans can follow along live with the final day of the Stanford Invitationals with live results here. One is also able to watch the meet live with a paid subscription to FloTrack.com at this link.


NAU Athlete Results

Men's Shot Put (Texas Relays)
7. Parker Joens: 15.74m

Men's Long Jump Collegiate
12. Steven Hartshorn-West: 6.08m

Women's Long Jump Collegiate
20. Kaitlyn Wayne: 5.06m

Men's High Jump
8. Obang Odol: 1.96m
10. Trevon Bosley: 1.96m

Men's Long Jump Invitational
5. Cameron Rayford: 6.92m
DNP. Khalil Dorsey: Fouled Out

Women's Long Jump Invitational
4. Helena McLeod: 6.04m

Men's 110m Hurdles Prelims
11. Khalil Dorsey 14.79
19.Carter Bracken 15.30

Women's 100m Prelims
9. Jada Jackson: 12.16
28. Helena McLeod: 12.45* (ties P/R)

Men's 100m Prelims
10. Kossi Tchenawou: 10.69
16. Tyren Wolfe: 10.87

Women's 1500m Section #6
9. Pipi Eitel: 4:30.17*

Women's 1500m Section #5
8. Kylie Goo: 4:29.16

Women's 100m Final
8. Jada Jackson: 12.07*

Men's 400m Hurdles
27. Carter Bracken: 56.49

Women's 400m
2. Jasmine Malone: 53.12
4. Nicole Fotinos: 53.80
26. Miracle Onyemaobi: 57.39

Women's 1500m Section #3
3. Ashley Taylor: 4:20.60*
12. Delaney Rasmussen: 4.33.35*

Women's 5000m Section #3
5. Emily Roughan: 16:28.18*
6. Miranda Myers: 16:29.47*

Men's 5000m Section #2
1. Luis Grijalva: 13:49.75*
19. Blaise Ferro: 14:06.90

Men's 5000m Invitational
3. Tyler Day: 13:40.22*
13. Geordie Beamish: 13:55.65

*New Personal Record