PULLMAN, Wash. -- Molly Scharmann's pole vault performance was the highlight of the day for the Washington State track and field teams Saturday during the second day of the Cougar Indoor collegiate meet at the WSU Indoor Practice Facility.
 
Scharmann, a redshirt sophomore from Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., won the women's pole vault with a PR height of 13-feet 3 1/2 inches (4.05m), a mark that is fourth-best in WSU all-time records. Just two weeks ago at the WSU Open, Scharmann cleared a PR of 13-1 1/2 (4.00m), the sixth-best mark in school history. Saturday she led all the Cougars women to PRs in the pole vault. Katelyn Frost was second with a mark equaling her PR of 12-1 1/2 (3.70m). Macee Erickson placed third by clearing a PR height of 12-1 1/2 (3.70m) and Emily Coombs was fifth after equaling her PR vault of 12-1 1/2 (3.70m).
 
Jordyn Tucker won the women's 60m dash with a time of 7.69 seconds with Regyn Gaffney second in a time of 7.74 after running a time of 7.56 in the prelims. Adreonia Bradley (redshirt junior, Tacoma) won the 400m dash in a PR time of 59.67.
 
Other Cougars women claiming wins Saturday included Chrisshnay Brown (junior, Lompoc, Calif.) in the women's shot put with a throw of 43-7 3/4 (13.30m), and the women's 4x400m relay squad of Lindsey Schauble, Bradley, Alissa Brooks-Johnson and Breya Wynne.
 
On the men's side, Ja'Maun Charles (junior, Pleasanton, Calif.), Ethan Gardner (junior, Walla Walla) and Zach Smith (senior, Bremerton, Wash.) finished one-two-three in the 60m dash with Gardner running a PR time of 6.93. Christapherson Grant won the 60m hurdles (8.22) after the prelim leader, Abu Kamara (8.20), was disqualified in the final start. Jacob Nicholson led four Cougars in the 3000m with a time of 8 minutes 48.12 seconds followed by Luke Schilter in second at 8:50.10, while Zak Kindl and Cameron Dean both ran 8:54.49.
 
In the field events, Peyton Fredrickson (junior, Ridgefield, Wash.) high jumped for the first time this season and cleared 6-8 3/4 (2.05m) as did teammate Keelan Halligan (junior, Bothell, Wash.) for the tie at first. Drew Norvell (redshirt sophomore, Bellingham, Wash.), a 2018 newcomer to the track team after being a member of the Cougar football team, continues to improve with a PR in the shot put of 50-8 3/4 (15.46m) for third place.
 
THEY SAID:
Wayne Phipps, WSU Director of Cross Country/Track & Field said, "I was very excited about this weekend. Our goal for this meet was to continue to take steps forward. So from two weeks ago, I thought we took gigantic steps forward. Added some outstanding personal bests and some national marks. We actually trained through this meet, worked them pretty hard through this weekend so to have the performances that we did is outstanding. Now as we start to get closer to the Mountain Pacific Championships we will back off a little bit and be a little fresher and get even better performances."
 
On Molly Scharmann's pole vault Phipps said, "Molly was fantastic. Taking to Coach Brad Walker, he was very excited about Molly's potential and to go over four meters again. To be the fourth-best vaulter in WSU history already is absolutely fantastic."
 
Molly Scharmann, winner of the women's pole vault with a PR and fourth-best mark in WSU all-time said, "The training has gone a little bit better, just working on the little things in practice. I've been sick for the past couple weeks and this is the first week I've felt well so that helped me out a lot today. In practice we don't use bars, we mostly practice with bungies but I definitely know I have a lot more coming this year."
 
NOTEWORTHY:

• 12 WSU women equaled or surpassed PRs at this meet while 10 Cougars men reached PR marks.
• Friday's Cougar Indoor events highlights included: Alissa Brooks-Johnson winning the women's pentathlon with the third-best mark in school history of 4,190 points; Brock Eager won the men's 35-pound weight throw with a PR heave of 68-0 1/2 (20.74m), third-best in WSU all-time records with Amani Brown second with a PR of 61-9 3/4 (18.84m) - 10th-best in WSU all-time records
• The only Cougar Indoor meet record broken was by Cougar alum Kiana Davis in the women's triple jump with a leap of 42-4 3/4 (12.92m), surpassing Greer Alsop's 2017 mark of 41-6 1/2 (12.66m).
• Whitworth's Nicholas McGill won the heptathlon, down to six competitors Saturday, with no Cougars finishing the seven events.
• Next weekend WSU distance runners, vertical jumpers and throwers will compete in Seattle at the Husky Classic while the sprinters and horizontal jumpers will compete at the Don Kirby Elite in Albuquerque.