UCCS Competes in Rare Event, Lousy Weather at KU Relays

LAWRENCE, Kan. - As temperatures dropped into the 30's at the KU Relays, Branson Bartlett, Chris Reynolds, Dan Pinter, and Alex Tiernan competed in what University of Colorado at Colorado Springs coach Mark Misch called "a very rare event"- the 4x1-mile relay.

"It was very cold and very windy," Misch said. "The guys really competed hard, and they ran a great race."

The relay team finished with a time of 17 minutes, 59.13 seconds, placing fifth. They beat out seven other teams. With this being such a "rare event," the team established a new school record for the books.

"Every guy ran a good leg," Misch said. "We had a sniff of third place, and that's what we were hoping for, but these guys have nothing to hang their heads about."

The 4x100 meter relay team was close to having a provisional qualifying time for nationals, missing by a couple seconds. They were also very close to beating the school record that they had set only weeks ago.

The team consisting of William Pendarvis, Almir Hodzic, Jason Shaver, and Carl Lum finished the relay with a time of 43.70 seconds.

"They ran solid," Misch said. "They ran their best compared to the field."

In the 4x400 meter relay were Pendarvis, Hodzic, Shaver, and Alex Vazquez. The relay team finished with a time of 3:25.94 seconds.

"The team just did a great job," Misch said. "Vazquez had a good leg."

The women competed in the 4x100 meter relay and finished with a time of 55.39. The relay team consisted of Josi Heer, Whitney Knobbe, Kelsey Barry, and Jenny Hunt.

"Hunt has a bad hamstring," Misch said. "We told her to just shut down if she needed to."

In the 4x400 meter relay were Barry, Kirstin Knobbe, Amanda Stoesz, and Melissa McKinley. The relay team finished with a time of 4:11.99.

The last day of competition in the KU Relays is Saturday.