Feb. 28, 2004 -- Colorado Springs, Colo. -- The University of Wyoming track and field teams wrapped up competition at the 2004 Mountain West Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Cowboys finished in fourth place with 85 team points while the Cowgirls also placed fourth with 88 team points.

The BYU programs took home both the men's and women's team titles with 169.5 and 224.5 points, respectively.

Two Cowboys took the top spot in their respective events. Sophomore Jeremiah Johnson raced to a first place finish in the men's 800 meter run. Johnson's time of 1:51.04, which set a new MWC Indoor Championship met record, defeated Brian Kelly of Colorado State by nearly a full second, 1:52.03.   Jeremy Thompson finished seventh in the 800 with a time of 1:54.56.

Junior Kyle Herl took the No. 1 spot in the men's weight throw Friday with a NCAA provisional mark of 67' 5 1/2". On Saturday, Herl earned All-MWC honors in his second event by placing third in the shot put with a distance of 59' 9", another NCAA provisional qualifying mark.

In the men's 60 meter dash UW's Dwight Neptune captured second place with a time of 6.85. His time is a career and season best performance for the freshman from Gaspirillo, Trinidad.

Wyoming's Blake Jackson took home runner-up honors in the triple jump. Jackson's distance of 51' 1/4" was the top mark going into the final round, but was outdone by Rodrigo Menedes of BYU who jumped 51' 1 3/4". Jackson's mark was a career best for the Cheyenne, Wyo., native.

Also earning All-MWC honors for the Pokes was freshman Jared Grant who placed third in the men's high jump on Friday clearing a career best height of 6' 8 1/2".

The Cowgirls dominated the sprinting events on the final day of the meet. Senior Kima Wells, from Alpine, Wyo., took home the MWC crown in the women's 60 meter dash with a NCAA provisional time of 7.30, breaking her old school record of 7.33 she set yesterday in the prelim's. Wells was also the runner-up in the women's 400 meter dash with a time of 54.75.

Junior Jessica Fox won her second consecutive MWC Indoor crown in the 200 meter dash. Fox crossed the finish line in 23.71, breaking her previous UW record in the event she set yesterday, 23.74. Fox's time is also an NCAA provisional qualifying time. Fox, a native of Burns, Wyo., also earned All-MWC honors in the 60 meter dash taking third place with a time of 7.49.

Wyoming's Shauna Smith shrugged off a bad case of the flu to place first in the women's 60 meter hurdles. Smith, from Sheridan, Wyo., crossed the finish line in 8.34 seconds to edge out Mirian Fisher of BYU, 8.37.

After posting the second best time in the 800 meter run yesterday, sophomore Tanice Barnett took third place in the finals of the event on Saturday. Barnett's time of 2:15.38 earned her All-MWC honors for the first time in her two-year career.

In the women's shot put, UW's Andrea Batt took second place with a distance of 50' 2 1/2". Batt is a now a four-time All-MWC performer in the event. Batt also took first place in the women's weight throw on Friday with a mark of 63' 3 1/2".

UW head coach Don Yentes was named the Mountain West Conference Women's Coach of the Year. Since taking the reigns of the UW track and field program in 2000, Yentes has coached 24 MWC Champions and 10 All-Americans.

"Our athletes really competed their tails off today," said Yentes. "Everyone really stepped it up today and fought hard. We had several school records broken and career best marks put up. I am very pleased with the effort they all gave."

Several UW athletes will now prepare for the 2004 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships which is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, March 12-13 in Fayetteville, Ark.