The Seattle University track and field team combined to set seven school records Saturday as the squad faced some of the top competition from the Northwest at the UW Indoor Preview at the Dempsey Indoor Facility.
Tom Mezzera (San Francisco, Calif.) won his heat and finished third overall in the 400 meter dash, posting a school-record time of 50.25 seconds. Mezzera was also part of the 4x400 meter relay quartet that finished third in that event with a time of 3:26.91.
Christopher Fussell (Las Vegas, Nev.) broke his own school record in the 200 meter dash, finishing seventh overall in the event after winning his heat in 22.66 seconds. Jim Mezzera (San Francisco, Calif.) finished ninth in the 200 meter dash with a time of 22.88 seconds after a 20th-place finish in the 60 meter dash in 7.19 seconds. In the field events, Ty Jaros (Eugene, Ore.) finished 11th in the high jump, clearing a height of 6' 2.75", and 16th in the triple jump with a top leap of 42' 7".
On the women’s side, Katie Hansen (Portland, Ore.) continues to do damage to the Seattle University record book, lowering the mark in the 3000 meter run to 9:59.06 with her eighth place finish. Alyssa Lout (Tempe, Ariz.) set a new school record in the 60 meter dash by covering the distance in 8.23 seconds, good enough for a 20th place finish in the event. In the 400 meter dash, Rachel Purcell (Mission Viejo, Calif.) posted a time of 1:00.44 which put her in 16th place and in the SU record book in this event.
Becca Urbany (Damascus, Ore.) had a solid meet in the field events, setting school records in the long jump, finishing 21st with a top leap of 15' 8.75", and in the triple jump, finishing seventh thanks to her sixth and final attempt which measured 34' 5.5". Mara Becker (Fairbanks, Alaska) tied for sixth in the high jump, clearing a height of 5' 2.25" to tie her own school record.
"With seven school records, one tie, a few marks close to school records, and a load of personal bests, this was a great, strong way for our team to start the indoor season," head coach Trisha Steidl said. "Knowing that everyone competing at today’s meet is far from the peak of what they are capable of this year makes the results from today even more impressive."
The Seattle University track and field team will have two weeks to prepare for the UW Invitational Jan. 30-31 at the Dempsey Indoor Facility. The meet is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. on Jan. 30, with an 8 a.m. scheduled start on Jan. 31.