It’s not often that a record set by Cam Levins goes down at Southern Utah, but when it does you know it was a performance worth plenty of attention.
On Friday night at the Mountain T’s Invitational in Flagstaff, Arizona, Southern Utah junior Kasey Knevelbaard did just that, as he ran a 3:55.96 in the mile to set a brand new school record. Knevelbaard’s time is also No. 3 in the NCAA and No. 2 in the history of the Big Sky Conference.
Knevelbaard’s altitude adjusted time of 3:55.96 moved ahead of Levins, who ran a 3:57.16 in 2012. It also moved him ahead of teammate Mike Tate, who ran a 4:00.07 in 2015. This was Knevelbaard’s first time dipping under the four minute mark since joining the Thunderbirds.
The junior from Caruthers, California now owns four school records at Southern Utah. Outdoors he owns the 800-meter and 1,500-meter record, and indoors he now owns the one mile record along with being part of SUU’s team that set the school record in the distance medley relay.
Not to be outdone, a pair of Thunderbird sprinters had huge performances on Friday night as well.
Tre James and Justin Lewis both broke a school record in Flagstaff, and tied each other in the process while running the 200-meter dash. Both James and Lewis finished the race with an adjusted time of 21.26, and now sit together on top of the event in the SUU record book.
James previously held the record, which was set at 21.27 earlier this season.
The Thunderbirds had other impressive performances in Flagstaff on Friday night as well.
In the women’s 200-meter Mia Russell ran a 24.84, which is the second-fastest time in the history of SUU. Right behind her was Sinclair Watson, who ran a 24.88 and moved her into third place in the SUU record book.
Freshman Jentry Skidmore slid into sixth all-time in the SUU record book in the women’s pentathlon, scoring a 3,174. That was good enough to finish third at the meet as well.
Maddy Kauffman competed in the women’s one mile run, finishing with a time of 4:48.11. That time puts her fourth all-time in SUU history in the event.
Linnea Saltz ran a personal indoor best in the 800-meter, finishing in a time of 2:13.49 which puts her fourth in the Thunderbird record book.
Ogochukwu Nwachukwu won the women’s shot put in Flagstaff, setting a new personal best with a throw of 43’ 2 ½’’.
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Head to suutbirds.com for all Thunderbird athletics news.
SUU Athletics Strategic Communications
