The Seattle University women posted the squad's top performances on the first day of the UW Invitational, as two indoor school records fell thanks to the females on the Redhawk track and field team Friday evening at Dempsey Indoor.
Kaytie Bateman (Chehalis, Wash.) posted personal bests in three events on her way to breaking the school indoor track and field record in the pentathlon with 2,956 points, over 250 points more than she collected at last year's Great West Conference Championships. She began the day with a personal-best time of 9.97 seconds in the 60 meter hurdles, followed by more personal bests in the high jump, clearing 1.51 meters (4'11.5"), and in the shot put with a top effort of 9.36 meters (30'8.5"). She concluded her six-hour day with solid performances in the long jump with a top leap of 4.96 meters (16'3.25") and in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:40.23.
The other school record came in the women's distance medley relay, as the quartet of Sarah Bolce (Sacramento, Calif.), Meeghan Bergmann (Portland, Ore.), Jennifer Stolle (Seattle, Wash.), and Hannah Mittelstaedt (Maple Valley, Wash.) posted a time of 12:18.93, over 12 seconds faster than the previous record set at last year's conference championships. The group finished third in its heat and ninth overall in the event.
In the men's 200 meter dash, Zach Stanfield (Adna, Wash.), running unattached, finished second in his heat and overall with a time of 22.03 seconds, while Austin Thummel-Gravitt (Puyallup, Wash.) won his heat and finished ninth overall with a time of 22.68 seconds. In the men's distance medley relay, the team of Erik Barkhaus (Whitefish Bay, Wis.), Colton Misono (Newcastle, Calif.), Miles Hille (Woodinville, Wash.), and Dan Auld (Eugene, Ore.) finished seventh overall with a time of 10:36.86, just two-and-a-half seconds off the school record.
The Seattle University track and field team will continue its participation in the UW Invitational Saturday, Jan. 28, beginning at 10 a.m. at Dempsey Indoor.