Burson Takes Down Weight Throw School Record

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas – Iowa State ends day one of the Razorback Invite with three top 10 program marks including a new school record in the weight throw by Kaitlyn Burson.

Burson, who set the hammer throw record last season, added another record to her name with her weight throw mark. Burson's mark of 70-0 1/4 (21.34m) topped Laishema Hampton's 2013 record of 67-3 1/4, and the thrower topped the previous record on three of her six throws. Burson finished fourth in an elite field including Janeah Stewart, representing the United States, and two Ole Miss throwers who hold the top two marks in the nation. Burson currently ranks 14th in the nation with today's finish.

Competing against top heptathletes in the nation, Sydney Willits shot up the Iowa State top 10 list to No. 2 with 4,029, just 41 points off the school record. Willits finished seventh overall and currently ranks 11th in the nation with the total. Sophomore Kailynn Gubbels also set a PR with 3,630, now the No. 7-ranked score in ISU history.

In the second event of the pentathlon, the high jump, Willits cleared her first two height of 5-1 3/4 and 5-3 on the first attempt and went on her way to posting an indoor PR of 5-6 1/2 (1.69m). Gubbels also hit an indoor PR with a clearance of 5-4 1/4 (1.63m).

Next came the shot put, where freshman Amari Laing led the way for the Cyclones with a best mark of 38-4 3/4 (11.70m). Willits also hit an all-time best of 36-6 1/4 (11.13m), topping her previous indoor best on each of her three attempts. Gubbels notched an indoor best of 34-7 (10.54m).

Following the shot put, two Cyclones finished inside the top 10 in the long jump. All-American long jumper Willits leaped to 19-10 3/4 (6.06m) for fourth while Laing finished sixth with 19-8 (5.99m). That led into the final event of the 800m, with Willits posting an indoor best 2:26.99 to close the pentathlon.

In the 3,000m, Kaylee Tobaben had a strong finish to win the event with a new PR of 9:51.51. For the men, Ryan Watts cemented second with 8:07.33 while Quinton Orr (8:10.97) and Seth Clevenger (8:12.72) finished fourth and fifth, respectively. It was Watts' first time running the event collegiately, while Clevenger posted a PR and Orr came .11 seconds off his best time.

In the men's weight throw, Daniel Norris moved onto the final and finished eighth with 66-5 3/4 (20.26m). Garret Wagner threw a season-best 62-11 1/4 (19.18m), less than two inches off his No. 7 ISU-ranking personal best.

The Razorback Invite continues tomorrow with events for Iowa State beginning at 11:25 a.m.

Iowa State Entries

Women

Pentathlon 60m Hurdles: 1. Alli Jones, USC – 8.20; 7. Sydney Willits, Iowa State – 8.65; 15. Kiersten Fisher, Iowa State – 8.93; 19. Kailynn Gubbels, Iowa State – 9.16; 21. Amari Laing, Iowa State – 9.60

Pentathlon High Jump: 1. Charity Hufnagel, Kentucky – 6-0 1/2 (1.82m); 10. Sydney Willits, Iowa State – 5-6 1/2 (1.69m); 15. Kailynn Gubbels, Iowa State – 5-4 1/4 (1.63m, PR); 19. Kiersten Fisher, Iowa State – 5-1 3/4 (1.57m); 20. Amari Laing, Iowa State – 5-0 1/2 (1.54m)

Pentathlon Shot Put: 1. Allie Jones, USC – 43-3 (13.18m); 12. Amari Laing, Iowa State – 38-4 3/4 (11.70m, PR); 14. Sydney Willits, Iowa State – 36-6 1/4 (11.13m, PR); 15. Kailynn Gubbels, Iowa State – 34-7 (10.54m, PR); 19. Kiersten Fisher, Iowa State – 28-5 1/2 (8.67m)

Pentathlon Long Jump: 1. Pippi Lotta Enok, Oklahoma – 20-8 (6.30m); 4. Sydney Willits, Iowa State – 19-10 3/4 (6.06m); 6. Amari Laing, Iowa State – 19-8 (5.99m); 14. Kiersten Fisher, Iowa State – 18-0 1/2 (5.50m); 16. Kailynn Gubbels, Iowa State – 17-9 (5.41m)

Pentathlon 800m: 1. Allie Jones, USC – 2:11.74; 11. Kailynn Gubbels, Iowa State – 2:26.08; 15. Sydney Willits, Iowa State – 2:26.99 (PR); 18. Kiersten Fisher, Iowa State – 2:31.94; 21. Amari Laing, Iowa State – 3:05.13

Pentathlon Overall: 1. Allie Jones, USC – 4,528; 7. Sydney Willits, Iowa State – 4,029 (PR, No. 2 ISU); 14. Kailynn Gubbels, Iowa State – 3,630 (PR, No. 7 ISU); 19. Kiersten Fisher, Iowa State – 3,438

Weight Throw: 1. Janeah Stewart, United States – 78-5 (23.90m); 4. Kaitlyn Burson, Iowa State – 70-0 1/4 (21.34m, PR, No. 1 ISU); 17. Ella O'Neall, Iowa State – 52-4 (15.95m); 19. Betty Rosvold, Iowa State – 51-5 (15.67m)

3,000m: 1. Kaylee Tobaben, Iowa State – 9:51.51 (PR)

Mile: 1. Melissa George, United States – 4:48.68; 3. Bella Heikes, Iowa State – 4:49.74; 8. Riley Beach, Iowa State – 4:52.68 (PR); 12. McKinley Wheeler, Iowa State – 4:54.23; 20. Mya Trober, Iowa State – 4:58.20; 26. Sydney Morrell, Iowa State – 5:01.72; 34. Halle Mestery, Iowa State – 5:12.04

Men

Mile: 1. Hamish Hart, Australia – 4:08.92; 3. Devan Kipyego, Iowa State – 4:09.30; 4. Kelvin Bungei, Iowa State – 4:09.33; 7. Ernie Mattson, Iowa State – 4:10.79

3,000m: 1. Aiden Britt, Ole Miss – 8:03.80; 2. Ryan Watts, Iowa State – 8:07.33; 4. Quinton Orr, Iowa State – 8:10.97; 5. Seth Clevenger, Iowa State – 8:12.72 (PR)

Long Jump: 1. Malcolm Clemons, Florida – 26-5 1/2 (8.06m); 20. Kole Becker, Iowa State – 21-6 1/4 (6.56m)

Weight Throw: 1. Tarik O'Hagan, Ole Miss – 73-10 (22.50m); 8. Daniel Norris, Iowa State – 66-5 3/4 (20.26m); 11. Garret Wagner, Iowa State – 62-11 1/4 (19.18m); 17. Zach Verzani, Iowa State – 59-6 3/4 (18.15m); 18. Blake Veenstra, Iowa State – 58-10 (17.93m)

Players Mentioned

Riley Beach

Kole Becker

Kelvin Bungei

Kaitlyn Burson

Seth Clevenger

Kiersten Fisher

Kailynn Gubbels

Bella Heikes

Devan Kipyego

Amari Laing

Ernie Mattson

Halle Mestery

Sydney Morrell

Daniel Norris

Ella O'Neall

Quinton Orr

Betty Rosvold

Kaylee Tobaben

Mya Trober

Blake Veenstra

Zach Verzani

Garret Wagner

Ryan Watts

McKinley Wheeler

Sydney Willits

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