PULLMAN, Wash. -- The men's high jump was the last field event at the 16th Annual Cougar Invitational Saturday at Mooberry Track, but Thane Pierson's clearance at 7-feet, 3 inches made the wait worthwhile.
Pierson, a senior from Naches, Wash., cleared a personal-record of 7-3, (2.21m), the seventh-best high jump in WSU all-time records and currently tied for sixth-best in the nation and second-best in the Pac-12. He eclipsed the meet record of 6-10 3/4 (2.10m) set by WSU's Matt Alverson in 2001. Pierson's winning leap came on his third and final attempt at the height. He went on to have three solid attempts but no clearances at 7-4 1/4 (2.24m). Pierson surpassed his earlier PR of 7-2 1/2, achieved April 2 at the Sam Adams Classic at Whitworth.
“It felt pretty good,” Pierson said. “I was working on the things we've been focusing on the past couple of weeks; a few cues to get up to these higher heights. I've found success during the outdoor season with the approach work and keeping my shoulder away from the bar. I feel good about the Pac-12s but I think it's pretty much open for anyone to take first place.”
Terrance Chambers (senior, Federal Way, Wash.) was a double winner with victories in the men's 100m (10.78 seconds) and 200m (21.43).
Other highlights for the Cougar men included Austin Sodorff winning the pole vault after clearing 16-6 3/4 (5.05m) and having several solid attempts at 17-1 1/2 (5.22m), which would have been a PR by 3/4 inch. More WSU men winning Saturday were: Reid Muller (800m - 1:52.49), Chandler Teigen (1500m - 3:50.63), Christapherson Grant (110m hurdles - 14.34), and Josh Colbert (long jump - 22-3 3/4 / 6.80m).
Cougar women grabbed eight wins: Holly DeHart (100m - 12.50), Regyn Gaffney (200m - 25.06), Josie Brown (1500m - 4:41.37), Candice McFarland (100m hurdles - 14.34), Stephanie Cho (400m hurdles - 1:03.19), Kiana Davis (high jump - 5-8 3/4 / 1.75m), Essence White (long jump - 18-9 3/4 / 5.73m), and Kayla Warren (triple jump - 40-2 3/4 / 12.26m).
Keshun McGee, competing unattached, won the men's triple jump with a meet record leap of 49-11 1/4 (15.22m), breaking the 2000 mark of 49-3 1/2 (15.02m) set by EWU's Tim Archer. Brock Eager, a WSU sophomore who is redshirting this season, won the hammer with a PR toss of 211-2 (64.37m) which would be eight-best in WSU records if he competing in uniform. Drew Ulrick, a 2007 WSU grad who owns the seventh-best mark in WSU all-time, won the discus with a throw of 181-3 (55.24m).
At the Washington Ken Shannon Invitational in Seattle, Devon Bortfeld (sophomore, Sammamish, Wash.) ran the seventh-fastest 3000m steeplechase in school history with her time of 10:34.10, third-place in the race. Dominique Keel also competed in Seattle and ran the 400m dash in 54.89, second place in the race.
Six Cougars will be competing Sunday at the Payton Jordan Invitational at Stanford. The WSU track and field teams will send competitors to the Pac-12 Combined Events Championships May 7-8, and the Pac-12 Championships, May 14-15, in Seattle.