The Wildcat’s track and field team competed over the weekend at West Texas A&M Open and Multi competition. ACU got great performances from seniors Cassie Brooks and Matthew Stark, as they each recorded personal best.
“Overall I feel like the team did very well,” sophomore Lauren Hartwick said. “There were a lot of personal records and it gave us the opportunity to perform where conference will be held. We had some girls move up on the list for nationals as well so that is always very promising.”
Brooks took home victories in the 100-meter hurdles, shot put and long jump.
She placed among the top three through the first three events, and then finished fourth in the 200-meter dash (25.28) before coming back with a win in the long jump (18-2.25/5.54m) and runner-up showing in the javelin (109-8/33.42m).
Her marks in the long jump and javelin were both personal bests, as was her first-place throw in the shot put (40-4.25/12.30m). Brooks finished the weekend with 4,954 points – a personal record by 153 points.
“Cassie started the weekend off right for us,” Hartwick said. “She did awesome in her multi and set the foundation at WT for us.”
Stark won four events en route to scoring 6,276 points – bettering his previous career best by 172 points. He finished his first day with personal bests in the 100m (11.32), long jump (21-8.75/6.62m), shot put (34-1.5/10.40) and the 400m (51.11).
During the second day of competition, Stark won the pole vault (14-5.25/4.40m) and 1500m (4:50.26) with a personal record in the javelin (140-11/42.96) sandwiched in between.
“I have mixed emotions on my performance,” Stark said. “Overall, I got a personal best in the decathlon and got a few personal bests in the individual events along the way, but fell short of my expectations in some of the other events.”
“It’s always exciting to improve your score but frustrating at the same time when you realize how many points you left on the track.”
Also for the Wildcats, freshman Andrew Hudson took first in the discus (167-3/50.97m) and hammer (166-4/50.71).
Sophomore Osei Allyene-Forte finished first in the 400m (49.38) and Hartwick registered a career best of 169-9/51.74m in the hammer throw, moving her into the top 20 nationally and into fifth on ACU’s all-time performance list.
“The team is doing very well and we have overcome every obstacle that we have faced,” senior Jordan Geary said.
The Wildcats return to action next Saturday for the Dr. Pepper/Michael Johnson Classic hosted by Baylor’s Hart-Patterson Track and Field Complex in Waco.
“I think that we will be in a good position at the end of the season,” Stark said. “As always, conference will be a dog fight for both the men and women, but I think that we have the talent and determination to win conference and have a shot at nationals as well.”
