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Utah State University Athletics

2018-19 Track and Field Roster

Profile

  • Distance
    Position
  • Senior
    Class
  • Soda Springs, Idaho
    Hometown
  • Soda Springs HS
    High School
Wade Denniston/USU Athletics
Wade Denniston/USU Athletics
Wade Denniston/USU Athletics
Wade Denniston/USU Athletics
Wade Denniston/USU Athletics
Tim Nwachukwu/NCAA Photos
Tim Nwachukwu/NCAA Photos
Tim Nwachukwu/NCAA Photos
Rick Parker
Tyson Bybee
Cierra Mecham
Cierra Simmons-Mecham
Distance
Position
Senior
Class
Soda Springs, Idaho
Hometown

Summary

Biography

HONORS: All-Region: Cross Country (2018); First-Team All-American Outdoor: 3,000-Meter Steeplechase (2018); Honorable Mention All-American Outdoor: 3,000-Meter Steeplechase (2019); First-Team All-Mountain West Indoor: Mile (2017); First-Team All-Mountain West Outdoor: 3,000-Meter Steeplechase (2018); USTFCCCA All-Academic Team (2018 T&F); Mountain West Scholar-Athlete (2016 XC, 2017 T&F, 2017 XC, 2018 T&F, 2018 XC, 2019 T&F); Academic All-Mountain West (2016 XC, 2017 T&F, 2017 XC, 2018 T&F, 2018 XC, 2019 T&F); USU Whitesides Scholar-Athlete (2014, 2017, 2018, 2019).

INDOOR RECORDS: Ranks first all-time in USU history in both the 3,000 meters (9:23.86) and DMR (11:31.69), and third in the mile (4:45.21)... Also has the second-fastest time in school history in the DMR (11:37.89).

OUTDOOR RECORDS: Ranks first all-time in USU history in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:49.33).

2019 (SR)
Cross Country (2018):
 Was the lone Utah State representative at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, where she placed 133rd with a time of 21:21.7… Earned all-region honors by placing 17th with a time of 20:25.0 at the NCAA Mountain Region Championships… Placed 15th with a time of 21:21.3 at the Mountain West Championships… Finished 10th with a time of 20:53 at the Lehigh-hosted Paul Short Run… Placed 42nd with a time of 21:07.3 at Pre-Nationals… Ran in five races for the Aggies during the season... Earned academic all-MW and MW Scholar-Athlete accolades.
Indoor: Earned first-team all-Mountain West honors after placing third in the DMR with a school-record time of 11:31.69 at the Indoor Championships… Placed fourth in the mile with a time of 4:49.99 at the Indoor Championships… Set school-record time of 9:23.86 in the 3,000 meters to place fifth at the Washington Invitational… Placed first in the mile with personal-best time of 4:45.21, which ranks third all-time in school history, at the New Mexico-hosted Don Kirby Collegiate Elite Invitational… Finished first in the mile with a time of 4:52.97 at the Montana State Dual Meet.
Outdoor: Garnered honorable mention All-American honors after placing 20th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:23.90 at the NCAA Outdoor Finals… Qualified for the Outdoor Finals by placing 12th in the event with a time of 9:59.22 at the NCAA West Preliminary Championships… Earned first-team all-Mountain West honors after placing second in the steeplechase with a season-best time of 9:56.58 at the Outdoor Championships… Also competed in the 1,500 meters, recording a season-best time of 4:33.86 to place 16th at the Mt. SAC Relays… Earned academic all-MW, MW Scholar-Athlete and USU Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete honors.

2018 (JR)
Cross Country (2017):
 Placed 112th at the NCAA National Cross Country Championships with a time of 20:48.60… Finished 41st at the NCAA Mountain Regional Championships with a time of 21:11.0… Placed 38th at the Mountain West Championships with a mark of 22:11.15… Competed in four other races during the year, with her best finish coming at both the Utah State-hosted Sagebrush Invitational and the BYU Autumn Classic, where she finished fourth with times of 18:07.356 and 16:55.2, respectively… Was among USU’s top-three finishers three times during the season… Earned academic all-MW and MW Scholar-Athlete honors.
Indoor: Placed fifth in the mile (4:51.47) at the Mountain West Indoor Championships… Recorded season-best time of 4:50.64 in the mile at the Iowa State Classic… Recorded a first-place finish in the mile with a time of 5:00.24 at the Montana State Dual Meet… Ran season-best time of 9:30.93 in the 3,000 meters at the Washington Invitational.
Outdoor: Became the first distance runner in Utah State history to first-team All-American honors during the outdoor season after finishing the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a school-record time of 9:49.33 at the NCAA Outdoor Finals… Qualified for the finals in the steeplechase by placing fourth overall and second in her heat with a time of 9:50.35 in the semifinals… Advanced to the Outdoor Finals after placing second in her heat and ninth overall with a time of 9:57.70 in the steeplechase quarterfinals at the NCAA West Preliminary Championships… Earned first-team all-Mountain West honors after winning the steeplechase with a time of 9:56.60 at the Outdoor Championships… Earned USTFCCCA All-Academic, academic all-MW, MW Scholar-Athlete and USU Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete accolades.

2017 (SO)
Cross Country (2016): Finished 51st with a time of 21:35.30 at the NCAA Mountain Regionals… Placed 36th with a time of 21:43.30 at the Mountain West Championships… Competed in six meets during the season with her best finish coming at the Utah State-hosted Sagebrush Invitational, where she placed 17th with a time of 18:25.17… Was a top-five Aggie finisher in every meet she competed in… Earned academic all-MW and MW Scholar-Athlete honors.
Indoor: Earned first-team all-Mountain West accolades after placing third in the mile with a season-best time of 4:52.88 at the Indoor Championships… Placed first in the prelims of the mile (4:54.80) at the Indoor Championships… Ran season-best time of 9:38.11 in the 3,000 meters at the Washington Invitational.
Outdoor: Placed 13th in the quarterfinals of the 3,000-meter steeplechase (10:24.78) at the NCAA West Preliminary Championships… Finished eighth in the steeplechase (10:57.59) at the Mountain West Outdoor Championships… Set then-school-record time of 10:12.52 in the steeplechase at the prestigious Mt. SAC Relays, where she placed 12th in the event… Ran personal-best time of 4:31.38 in the 1,500 meters at the Stanford-hosted Cardinal Classic… Earned academic all-MW, MW Scholar-Athlete and USU Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete honors.

2014 (FR)
Cross Country (2013):
 Placed 82nd at the Mountain West Championships… Finished ninth at the Utah State-hosted Aggie Invitational.
Indoor: Placed ninth in the mile (5:18.48) at the Mountain West Indoor Championships… Also finished sixth in the distance medley relay (12:31.18) at the Indoor Championships.
Outdoor: Finished sixth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (11:30.93) at the Mountain West Outdoor Championships… Placed 10th in the 1,500 meters (4:38.97) at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational… Earned USU Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete honors.

HIGH SCHOOL: A 12-time letterwinner in cross country, track & field, volleyball and basketball at Soda Springs (Idaho) High School... District champion in 2011 and 2012... Named to all-state team in 2011 and 2012... Led team to state championship in 2011 and 2012.

PERSONAL: One of seven children of Larry and Kristen Simmons... Married to BYU track & field athlete Scott Mecham... Majoring in nutrition science.

PERSONAL BESTS INCLUDE:

EVENT INDOOR OUTDOOR
Mile 4:45.21 NA
1,500 Meters NA 4:31.38
3,000 Meters 9:23.86* NA
2,000-Meter SC NA 7:11.07
3,000-Meter SC NA 9:49.33*
DMR 11:31.69* NA

POSTSEASON RESULTS:
NCAA CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
YEAR PLACE TIME
2017 112th 20:48.60
2018 133rd 21:21.7

NCAA CROSS COUNTRY REGIONALS
YEAR PLACE TIME
2016 51st 21:35.30
2017 41st 21:11.0
2018 17th 20:25.0

MW CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
YEAR PLACE TIME
2013 82nd 26:08.40
2016 36th 21:43.30
2017 38th 22:11.15
2018 15th 21:21.3

NCAA OUTDOOR FINALS
YEAR EVENT PLACE TIME/MARK
2018 3,000-Meter SC 8th 9:49.33*
2019 3,000-Meter SC 20th 10:23.90

NCAA OUTDOOR WEST PRELIMS
YEAR EVENT PLACE TIME/MARK
2017 3,000-Meter SC 13th 10:24.78
2018 3,000-Meter SC 4th 9:57.70
2019 3,000-Meter SC 12th 9:59.22

MW INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
YEAR EVENT PLACE TIME/MARK
2014 DMR 6th 12:31.18
2014 Mile 9th 5:18.48
2017 Mile 3rd 4:52.88
2017 3,000 Meters 20th 10:07.14
2018 Mile 5th 4:51.47
2019 DMR 3rd 11:31.69*
2019 Mile 4th 4:49.99

MW OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
YEAR EVENT PLACE TIME/MARK
2014 3,000-Meter SC 6th 11:30.93
2017 3,000-Meter SC 8th 10:57.59
2018 3,000-Meter SC 1st 9:56.60
2019 3,000-Meter SC 2nd 9:56.58

* = School Record

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