April 29, 2000

BERKELEY, Calif. - Finals have been contested in only two women's events at the Cal-Nevada State Championships, yet the UNLV track and field team sits in seventh place after the first day of competition at Edwards Stadium and Goldman Field Saturday.

The Rebels made the Day One scoreboard behind Katie Barto's performance in the day's final event, the 3,000 meters. Barto, who had won her last two races, scored three team points with a sixth-place finish and broke the school record by five seconds, clocking 9:49.94. Barto's run broke the mark held by Angie Fortner, who ran 9:54.29 last year. It is the fourth school record to fall during the 2000 outdoor season.

Beside Barto's score in the 3,000, four other Rebels and two relay teams qualified for Sunday's finals. Ayanna Hutchinson posted the fastest qualifying time of 30 racers in the 100 meters with an 11.67, and did the same in the 200, going 23.80. She led a 1-2 UNLV finish as Michele Davis finished the 200 in 23.85. Davis also claimed the top qualifying mark in her event, winning her 400 meters heat in 54.17.

Other UNLV athletes that qualified for finals in their events were Chantel Yates and Jessica Marable. Yates advanced to the finals in both the long jump and the 100-meter hurdles. She cleared 18-0.25 in the long jump and clocked a 14.18 in the hurdles and will compete for place tomorrow.

Marable, who has been battling back from an injury, tossed a 40-9.5 in the shot put and just qualified for Sunday's finals by tying for eighth. She will challenge a talented field in the finals.

Tomorrow's competition will begin at 8:00 a.m. and results should be available by 6:00 p.m. PDT on the world wide web at www.unlrebels.com.