LSU junior clocks personal-best 1:58.37 to improve on No. 2 outdoor mark in collegiate history, with Mexican 800 national record holder Jesus Tonatiu Lopez prevailing in 1:45.14; Warwick holds off Nesbitt by 5,927 to 5,816 margin in heptathlon, Dutch athlete Van Klaveren leads three athletes over 7,700-point barrier in decathlon

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

AZUSA, Calif. – Michaela Rose has already had the good fortune of competing in a Southeastern Conference championship meet at home during her LSU career, with the Tigers playing host to the event last year in Baton Rouge.

But the Bryan Clay Invitational at Azusa Pacific University’s Cougar Stadium is quickly becoming the meet most synonymous with Rose’s remarkable success as a collegiate competitor.

RESULTS | INTERVIEWS

Rose, a junior, prevailed in a lifetime-best 1 minute, 58.37 seconds Friday in the fastest section of the women’s invitational 800 meters, improving on her own No. 2 outdoor mark in NCAA history from last season at Bryan Clay, when she clocked 1:59.08 to take second behind Lululemon professional athlete Nikki Hiltz in 1:59.03.

Rose now has four sub-2 outdoor performances in her career, more than any female athlete in collegiate history.

Anna Camp-Bennett, an adidas professional competitor, was second in 2:01.14, with McKenna Keegan of Melbourne Track Club taking third in 2:01.54.

Dani Jones, a New Balance professional athlete, triumphed in the second section of the women’s 800 in 2:01.49, relying on a late surge to edge Stanford’s Juliette Whittaker (2:01.57) and Lithuanian competitor Gabija Galvydyte of Oklahoma State (2:01.89).

Mexican national record holder Jesus Tonatiu Lopez, representing HOKA, emerged victorious in the fastest section of the men’s 800 meters in 1:45.14.

Nebraska-Kearney standout Wes Ferguson, the reigning NCAA Division 2 outdoor champion, clocked 1:45.85 to place second, as six athletes produced sub-1:47 marks.

Cole Lindhorst from Texas secured the win in the second section in 1:47.25.

One of the most impressive showdowns in Division 2 history materialized on the second day of the Group A women’s heptathlon, with Azusa Pacific’s Nicole Warwick rallying from a nine-point deficit against Saginaw Valley State’s Cheyenne Nesbitt – the reigning USATF Indoor pentathlon champion – following five events to earn the win.

Warwick had a leap of 20-9 (6.32m) in the long jump, achieved a javelin throw of 125-11 (38.39m) and clocked 2:14.62 to place runner-up in the 800, allowing her to accumulate a lifetime-best 5,927 points, elevating to the No. 3 all-time Division 2 competitor.

Nesbitt, returning from a hamstring injury that sidelined her from competing at the Division 2 indoor championship meet March 9-10 at Pittsburg State in Kansas, took second with 5,816 points.

Nesbitt, a three-time Division 2 heptathlon champion, joined former New Mexico Highlands standout Salcia Slack as the only competitors in division history with multiple marks surpassing 5,800 points.

Nesbitt is the No. 5 all-time heptathlon performer in Division 2 with 5,861 points.

Kaitlin Smith, an NCAA Division 1 finalist at Houston Christian, achieved third with 5,713 points.

Oregon State’s Anneke Moersdorf was fourth at 5,593 points, Azusa Pacific’s Alysa Henry finished fifth with 5,533 points and Wisconsin’s Shaina Zinter secured sixth with 5,499 points.

UCLA’s Sydney Johnson celebrated an improvement of more than 400 points to prevail in the Group B heptathlon with 5,514 points.

Johnson, who won the 200 meters in 24.72 and the long jump with a leap of 19-9.50 (6.03m), capped her series with a 2:17.49 effort in the 800, improving on her 5,075-point performance March 8-9 at UC Santa Barbara.

Lucas Van Klaveren, a Dutch athlete from Texas-Arlington, trailed by six points with two events remaining, before winning the javelin throw at 182-11 (55.77m) and taking third in the 1,500 meters in 4:43.44 to conclude his two-day schedule with 7,785 points and a victory.

Mississippi State’s Peyton Bair benefited from a 4:37.02 triumph in the 1,500 to secure second with 7,730 points, just ahead of a lifetime-best 7,703 points from Josh Farmer of UC Irvine.

Farmer’s teammate, Max Daniels, earned the Group B decathlon win with 7,435 points.

Grand Valley State’s Jaivon Harrison cleared 7-2.25 (2.19m) on his first opportunity in the men’s invitational high jump to hold off Louisville’s Brion Stephens, who achieved the height on his second try.