The outdoor season started for the men's track team last weekend when it took its show on the road to San Luis Obispo, Calif.

The Cougars matched up against athletes from Utah State, University of Washington, Fresno State, UC Santa Barbara and Cal-Poly. Six Cougars walked away with first-place finishes, and a few with regional qualifying marks.

"We really competed very well for where we have been," head coach Mark Robison said. "We are starting really well, and that it is the exciting part. I thought we performed better than I thought we would. I have always said we have a better team outdoor than indoor."

Distance runner Josh McAdams placed first in the steeplechase coming in at 9:04.26. This qualifies McAdams for the West Regional meet at the end of May.

In contrast to the indoor schedule, athletes must qualify for a regional meet before nationals. Brigham Young competes in the West region. The top four finishers from each of the five regions around the nation will then face each other at the nationals meet.

Distance coach Ed Eyestone thought McAdams would have a better chance of qualifying for the regional meet this coming weekend. Halfway through the race, and about twenty seconds under pace, Eyestone knew McAdams' mark would come a week early.

"His training has been going so well and he had such a good cross country season and indoor season that I fully expected him to pop a good one and he did," Eyestone said. "I think he surpassed expectation quite frankly."

Lars Kjerengtroen and Chad Simkins finished first and second, respectively, in the 800-meter run. Simkins and Kjerengtroen return this season as the 2003 Mountain West Conference outdoor champion and third place finisher in the 800-meter, respectively. Simkins was injured most of the indoor season, but coach Eyestone says he believes it is not a factor anymore.

"I think his injury is behind him now," Eyestone said. "I thought his performance last week was very solid and I'd be very surprised if he doesn't hit regional qualifying mark this weekend."

The family duo of Dan and Niklas Arrhenius also placed first and second on the score sheet in the discus throwing 193 feet even and 173 feet 4.25 inches, respectively. Older brother Dan also took first in the shot put, throwing 55 feet 1.25 inches.

Jumper James Oman won the high jump with a height of 6 feet 7.5 inches, and Matt Anderson won the triple jump at 49 feet 6.25 inches.

The sprinting squad was also able to maintain the winning pace, making the transition from indoors to outdoors. The 4x100-meter relay team captured first by edging out the University of Washington by nearly two-tenths of a second with a time of 41.25 seconds.

David Chesser also placed first in the 400-meter dash at 47.96 seconds.

"I am very pleased with these guys," Robison said. "We have a few kids who are a little sore, but this opened us up."

The Cougars will return to the west coast this weekend when they compete at the Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif.



Copyright Brigham Young University 23 Mar 2004