ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico — Utah State's men's and women's track & field teams kicked off the 2023 Mountain West Indoor Championships with a pair of podium finishes in the distance medley relays at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Both teams sit in third place in the team standings after the competition's opening day.
 
"I could not be more proud of our team today for a first day at the Mountain West Indoor Championships," head coach Matt Ingebritsen said. "I think this might be the best opening day we've had in a long time on the women's side. The ladies did a great job."
 
Junior Peyton Teevens was the first Aggie on the track at the MW Indoor Championships. Competing in the women's pentathlon, Teevens began the day with a time of 9.22 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles. After recording marks of 1.55 meters (5-1.00) in the high jump, 10.88 meters (35-8.50) in the shot put and 5.04 meters (16-6.50) in the long jump, Teevens sat in 16th-place in the overall pentathlon standings. 
 
In the final event, Teevens won the 800 meters with a time of 2:17.94, nearly two full seconds clear of the next competitor, to catapult herself into the top-eight finishers. Teevens placed seventh overall in the pentathlon with 3,552 points, the best finish by an Aggie in the pentathlon since 2019.
 
"Having Peyton Teevens come in and put together a great multi and finish seventh at her first Mountain West Championships, coming in as a transfer, was amazing," Ingebritsen said.
 
Graduate senior Mica Rivera was the next Aggie on the track, competing in the 5,000 meters. Rivera finished fourth on the women's side with a time of 16:21.42, the second-fastest time in school history. Sophomore Emma Thornley also finished amongst the points in the women's 5,000 meters with a time of 17:10.00 to finish in eighth place. Junior Morgan French registered a top-10 finish, taking ninth with a time of 17:13.94.
 
The Aggies capped off a stellar start to the conference championships with third-place finishes in both the men's and women's DMRs. On the women's side, the quartet of junior Hannah Davidson, Olivia Smith and Mattie Geddes plus senior Abby Jensen recorded the second-fastest DMR time in school history at 11:33.21. The USU foursome trailed first-place New Mexico in the event by less than two seconds. 
 
"I was super excited that our women finished third in the DMR," Ingebritsen said. "To come out of here on the podium on the first day of the championships while also putting down a time that makes them second all-time in Utah State history is outstanding. The effort that Mica put in and Emma, and all the rest of the girls in the 5K, was amazing. Mica ran a time that puts her second all-time in school history, so I'm really proud of her."
 
On the men's side, junior Max Wehrli led the way initially, placing fourth in the men's 5,000 meters with a time of 14:20.44. Senior Bridger Altice finished 10th with a time of 14:38.95. The Aggie men continued to mirror the women in the DMR as the quartet of seniors Devin Pancake, Zack Bell and Christopher Kauffman plus junior Brennan Benson also finished third with a time of 9:44.03. The time ranks third all-time in the DMR at USU.
 
"We had a great day on the men's side, as well," Ingebritsen said. "Our men's DMR ended up finishing on the podium in third place and that actually puts them third all-time with the time on our top-10 list. Max Wehrli did a great job to finish in the 5K."
 
After one day of action, both the Utah State men and women sit in third place in the overall team standings. The men have accrued 11 points while the Aggie women accumulated 14 points across day one of the competition.
 
"(The women are) sitting at 14 points right now, which definitely puts this as one of the best conference championship openers we've ever had," Ingebritsen said. "This day set us up really well for the rest of the meet. I'm super excited to see where they go the rest of the weekend. We know we've got work to do on both sides, but this was definitely a great start for the Mountain West Championships."
 
The Aggies will continue competition at the MW Indoor Championships on Friday starting with the men's weight throw at 12:30 p.m. (MT). A full schedule of events along with live results are available through UtahStateAggies.com. The full MW Indoor Championships are also available to stream via the MW Network.
 
Fans can follow the Utah State track & field programs at twitter.com/USUTF_XC, on Facebook at USUTrack and on Instagram at instagram.com/USUTF_XC. Aggies fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.
 
2023 MOUNTAIN WEST INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
ALBUQUERQUE CONVENTION CENTER
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO
FEBRUARY 23-25, 2023
DAY ONE RESULTS
 
USU WOMEN RESULTS:
60-Meter Hurdles (Pentathlon) - 13. Peyton Teevens, 9.22.
800 Meters (Pentathlon) - 1. Peyton Teevens, 2:17.94.
High Jump (Pentathlon) - 1.55 meters (5-1.00).
Long Jump (Pentathlon) - 16. Peyton Teevens, 5.04 meters (16-6.50).
Shot Put (Pentathlon) - 8. Peyton Teevens, 10.88 meters (35-8.50).
Pentathlon (final standings) - 7. Peyton Teevens, 3,552
5,000 Meters (finals) - 4. Mica Rivera, 16:21.42; 8. Emma Thornley, 17:10.00; 9. Morgan French, 17:13.94.
Distance Medley Relay (finals) - 3.Utah State (Hannah Davidson, Olivia Smith, Mattie Geddes, Abby Jensen), 11:33.21.
Team Standings - 3. Utah State, 14 points.
 
USU MEN RESULTS:
5,000 Meters (finals) - 4. Max Wehrli, 14:20.44; 10. Bridger Altice, 14:38.95; 13. Caleb Garnica, 14:47.99.
Distance Medley Relay (finals) - 3.Utah State (Devin Pancake, Zack Bell, Christopher Kauffman, Brennan Benson), 9:44.03.
Team Standings - 3. Utah State, 11 points .
 
 - USU -