McNeese State sophomore David Rooney set a school and complex record in the mile run as he led the Cowboys during the running of the school's Jeff Davis Bank McNeese indoor meet on Friday.
The Dublin, Ireland native posted a 4:07.90 clocking in only his third gallop in the indoor mile. That broke the school record of 4:11.46 that had been set by Kris Gilmore in 2002 and knocked off the complex record of 4:08 that was recorded by Lamar's Alfred Trejo in 1984.
It's the top time in the Southland Conference this season and was also only two seconds off the provisional qualifying standard for the NCAA championship meet.
The Cowgirls were led by double event winning efforts on the part of La'Shantena Rounds and Kayla Fontenot. Rounds won the weight throw with a school and complex record 55-10.5 toss and took the shot put with a 43-9.75 effort. Fontenot won the women's triple jump at 38-6 and the 55 hurdles in 8.46.
It was mainly a matter of getting off to a good start for Rooney. And, he was helped in this effort by teammate Michael Dyer who posed as his pacer.
"He definitely helped," Rooney said as he ran the first 400 meters in 60 seconds, had a 2:05 clocking for 800 meters and 3:06 for 1000 meters.
Dyer gave it his all as he ran the first 1,000 meters and then went to the sidelines.
"It's a great feeling to break the recored," said Rooney. "That's what I wanted to do."
Only last week at Houston he had turned in a 4:14.78.
Cowboy head coach Brendon Gilroy said that anything is possible for his distance runner.
"I think that what he did in the cross country season, qualifying for the nationals and then placing 52nd was a big step for him. He's just a sophomore so there is a lot ahead of him," the coach said.
Jordan Neil and Johnathan Koenck followed Rooney across the finish line in the mile and they posted clockings of 4:15.38 and 4:15.79.
Others with first place efforts for the Cowboys were Ronald Stine with a 23.48 effort in the 200 meter dash, Dyer with a 1:55.89 in the 800 meters, Charles Jackson with a 6.57 clocking in the 55 meter dash and Sunny Singh with a 6-4 high jump.
For the Cowgirls, others with a first place efforts were Paige Lynch with 7.28 in the 55 meter dash, Ashleigh Wells with a 25.87 in the 200 meters and Candice McCormick with an 11:03.68 in the 3000 meters.
Olympian Erica Bartolina went 12-11.5 and was tied at that height by Sarah Broggese who was also competing unattached. Both broke the complex record.