NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – The University of Hawai'i track and field team opened competition on Friday at the Big West Championships, finishing out the opening day tied for seventh at the Matador Track & Field Complex.
 
Topping the charts for Hawai'i at Big West, redshirt junior Karen Bulger recorded a season-best 147-11 (45.10m) in the javelin to earn second place. Sophomore Alexis Brenzil also finished in the top tier with a fifth-place 144-05 (44.01m) finish. Junior Meg Jackson rounded out a three-scorer event for UH with an eighth-place mark of 130-00 (39.63m).
 
Freshman Kristen LaCosse advances to Saturday's 400m hurdles final with a third-place preliminary finish in a career-best time of 1:01.40 – producing the fifth-best time in the event in UH history. Although she didn't make the finals, LaCosse also produced a personal best in the 100m hurdles (14.42).
 
Adding another scorer for the 'Bows, sophomore Megan Fereira tied for seventh in the pole vault with a season-best 12-01.50 (3.70m). A late injury forced redshirt junior Amanda Bowers to miss the vault competition.
 
In the sprints, Natasha Currence ran a career-best 58.42 in the 400m to finish 13th. Raion Black also produced PRs in both the 100m (12.33) and 200m (25.40).
 
The Rainbow Wahine amassed 18 points and are tied after the first day with Long Beach State in seventh. Cal Poly leads the field with 54 points.
 
Hawai'i will return to the final day of competition on Saturday in Northridge.