Bartlett, Women's 4 X 400 Relay Highlight Final Tuneup for UCCS

GOLDEN -- Running in just his second meet of the season, Branson Bartlett of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs was the top collegiate finisher in the men's 3,000-meter run at the CSM Twilight Open Friday evening at Steinhauer Fieldhouse.

The Mountain Lion women were highlighted by the 4 X 400 relay team, which took first place.

The meet was UCCS' final tuneup in preparation for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Indoor Championships, which will be held Feb. 29-March 1 at Kearney, Neb.

Bartlett finished third overall Friday behind a pair of unattached runners. The freshman from Peyton clocked in at 9 minutes, 10.49 seconds, a full 12.42 seconds better than his Jan. 26 effort on the same track.

Teammate Alex Tiernan was third among collegiate runners and seventh overall in the same event at 9:29.53.

Alex Vazquez, Chris Reynolds and Dusin Simoens took third, fourth and sixth respectively in the 800-meter run. Vazquez's time of 1:57.54 was less than half a second behind Adams State's Adam Glenn for second place.

Carl Lum had a busy meet for the Mountain Lions, competing in the 60-meter hurdles, high jump, long jump and shot put in what may have been preparation for competition in a future multi-event discipline. Vy Nguyen competed in both the 60-meter dash and the long jump.

Also among the limited UCCS men's contingent were Almir Hodzic, who took eighth in the 400-meter dash, Joel Keinitz (11th in the mile), Allen Browne (19th in the mile) and Preston Williams (14th in the shot put and 13th in the weight throw).

The UCCS women's 4 X 400 squad clocked a time of 4:14.46, beating second-place Colorado College by 22.91 seconds. The Mountain Lions distance medley team ran unopposed by still recorded a solid time of 13:34.49.

Josi Heer continued her preparation for the pentathlon by taking third in the 60-meter hurdles and third in the long jump while also competing in the long jump and the shot put.

Jennifer Callan competed in both the shot put and the weight throw.