GUNNISON, Colo.  Western Colorado track & field on Friday hosted a Last Chance Meet one week prior to the conference championship meet, looking to improve personal marks as the Mountaineers head into the postseason.

The mile races provided provisional and winning times in both the men's and women's races.

Emma Kjellsen and Lauren Willson placed first and second in the women's mile, each running to new personal records (PRs). Kjellsen crossed the finish line first with an NCAA provisional time of 5 minutes, 4.58 seconds (4:48.39 altitude adjusted), ranking 22nd nationally with that time. Willson hit a PR of 5:06.57 (4:50.28 alt. adj.) which is 29th on the NCAA Division II indoor performance list in the event.

Mountaineers went 1-2 in the men's event, also racing to PRs and NCAA provisional times. Esteban Deniz won the men's mile in 4:17.93 (4:03.53 alt. adj.) with John Houdeshell within a step or two in second at 4:19.83 (4:05.33 alt. adj.). Diaz' time ranks 19th nationally and Houdeshell's 33rd.

The sprints saw both PR and NCAA provisional times recorded.

Myia Dantzler posted a time of 7.54 seconds (7.58 alt. adj.) in the preliminary heats of the women's 60-meter dash, and placed second in the 200 with PR and provisional time of 24.82 (24.58 alt. adj.). Her 60 time is 42nd on the NCAA performance list, and the 200 time ranks 50th.

Also setting PRs in those two events were Elizabeth Johnson (7.79) and Gabi Huggins (7.80) in the 60, and Johnson (25.50) and Kelia Portis (25.63) in the 200.

In the men's 60, Arvell Amos hit a new PR with his 7.10 time.

Back on the oval late in the meet schedule, Western's Allison Beasley ran to a first-place time of 10:02.90 (9:27.90 alt. adj.) to move up on the national performance list to 12th nationally.

Nykole Meshew achieved her provisional mark and a PR in winning the women's high jump, clearing a height of 1.71 meters (5 feet-7.25 inches) to move up to 18th on the national performance list, and Eireann Donohoe won the triple jump with a leap of 11.86m (38-10.75) that ranks 29th on the NCAA DII list.

Tarryn Moore set PRs in both the men's long jump and high jump during the meet. He placed second in the long jump with a leap that measured 6.84m (22-5.25) and was second to teammate Zac Grable (1.89m / 6-2.25) in the high jump with a height of 1.84m (6-0.25).

Other first-place finishes from Mountaineers came from Lacey Kunz (19:24.87) in the women's 5,000m run; Aaleiah Porter-Gyll in the women's pole vault with a PR of 3.35m (10-11.75) and Max Kittsteiner (4.64m / 15-02.5) in the men's pole vault; and Huggins in the women's long jump (5.39m / 17-8).

UP NEXT
The Mountaineers travel to the Mountain Lion Fieldhouse on the campus of University of Colorado Colorado Springs for the 2025 RMAC Indoor Track & Field Championships on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 28 and March 1.