May 12, 2004

Results

LAS VEGAS - UNLV's Christine Spence is the surprise leader in the heptathlon, while Devin Scoresby of BYU leads in the decathlon after the first day of competition on Wednesday at the 2004 Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, hosted by UNLV at Myron Partridge Stadium/Sheila Tarr Smith Field.

Spence, a senior competing in the heptathlon for the first time in her career, grabbed the first day lead with 3,297 points. She posted first-place performances in three of the first four events, highlighted by a conference-record breaking attempt in the high jump. She finished with a mark of 5 feet, 11 1/2 inches, easily besting the previous record of 5 feet, 10 3/4 inches that had been set on three prior occasions. It was also a new stadium record. Spence tied for first in the 100m hurdles (14.33), and added a first place finish in the 200m dash (24.84). BYU's Anna-Lee Walcott recorded second place marks in the high jump and the shot put to stand in second overall with 3,149 points, while BYU sophomore Liis Berendsen is in third with 3,044 points.

Also competing for UNLV, junior Teri Trautwein stands in 13th place with 2,443 points, which included a third-place finish in the shot put with a mark of 37 feet, 1 3/4 inches.

Scoresby, a senior and the defending champion, holds a tight 37-point lead after the first five events of the decathlon. He finished in the top five in all five events, including a second-place mark in the long jump (23 feet, 2 3/4 inches), a first place mark in the high jump (6 feet, 7 inches), and a third place time in the 400m dash (50.35). Teammate Curtis Pugsley was in second place at 3,863 points, helped by a first place finish in the long jump, while New Mexico senior Mark Johnson is third with 3,857 after the first day.

The meet continues Thursday with the remainder of the events for both the decathlon and heptathlon. On Friday, qualifying begins in several track events with finals set for Saturday.

2004 Mountain West Conference Championships Myron Partridge Stadium/Shelia Tarr Smith Field Las Vegas

UNLV Heptathlon Results - 1. Christine Spence (UNLV), 3,297 pts, 13. Teri Trautwein (UNLV), 2,443 pts.
100 METER HURDLES - Tie-1st. Christine Spence (14.33), 14. Teri Trautwein (16.96).HIGH JUMP - 1. Christine Spence (5-11.50*), new conference record, new MWC Championships record, new stadium record15. Teri Trautwein (4-09.50)SHOT PUT - 3. Teri Trautwein (37-01.75), 12. Christine Spence (29-03.75).200 METER DASH - 1. Christine Spence (24.84), 17. Teri Trautwein (27.77).
* = NCAA regional qualifying time