Koech leads UNCG on first day of Wake Forest Open

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Mike Koech came within a split second of breaking the men's 3,000 meter record on Friday afternoon at the Wake Forest Open.

Katie Hansen broke the school record in the 3,000 meters on the women's side.

Koech also had a top-five finish as he came in fourth place after running the 3,000 meters in 8:31.27. His time was just .02 seconds behind the school record set by teammate Joey Thompson last season. Thompson finished fifth in the event on Friday with a time of 8:35.60.

TJ Wyatt also had a nice run for the men's team as he finished the 400 meters in a time of 50.83. That time broke his own personal-best by half a second and marked the second-fastest time in school history.

Hansen's time of 10:12.66 in the 3,000 meters was good enough for fifth place in the event. Her time broke the school record set in 2006 by Heidi Pinkerton by almost five seconds.

On the women's side, Michelle Chewens and Jade Farlow each set the fourth-fastest time in school history in their respective events. Chewens, competing in the 800 meters, finished the event in a time of 2:20.61. That time also set a new personal-best for her, in addition to being the fourth-fastest in school history.

Farlow, running in the 400 meters, ran a time of 1:05.31, which was fourth-best in school history.

The Spartans will wrap up competition at the Wake Forest Open on Saturday with the track events beginning at noon.

AGATE
Men's results:
400m: 50. TJ Wyatt, 50.83; 74; Taylor Hurst, 52.30
3000m: 4. Mike Koech, 8:31.27; 5. Joey Thompson, 8:35.60; 9. Andy Clyne, 8:47.38; 10. AJ Savoia, 8:48.02; 18. Ben Vasquez, 9:00.15; 20. Brian Carrington, 9:05.56
5000m: 57. Ryan Solomon, 17:06.01

Women's results:
400m: 72. Jade Farlow, 1:05.31
800m: 28. Michelle Chewens, 2:20.61; 47. Kerry Hartman, 2:24.87; 76. Sherrika Jordan, 2:30.30; 102. Chelsea Willette, 2:42.56; 103. LaTrese Bristol, 2:42.84
3000m: 5. Katie Hansen, 10:12.66; 13. Tiffany Garber, 10:39.84; 26. Jenna Paley, 10:56.49
5000m: 38. Caitlin Lenz, 20:05.17

- UNCG -