USAF ACADEMY, Colo. — Small group of Lobos, some big-time results.
The University of New Mexico track & field team produced a number of strong performances at the Air Force Collegiate Open Friday, with a handful of the Lobos’ jumpers, sprinters and hurdlers shining to open the 2015 season.
While the home-opening Lobo Collegiate Open is still over two weeks aways on Jan. 24, New Mexico received 16 top-10 finishes from the 16 athletes that competed at the Cadet Field House on the campus of the Air Force Academy.
Like the last time the Lobos travelled to Air Force for an indoor meet — the 2014 Mountain West Indoor Championships, where UNM swept the team titles — New Mexico registered solid results.
On the women’s side, Aasha Marler led the charge with a win in the long jump, duplicating her 2014 MW title. Her distance of 19 feet, 8 ¼ inches was the best by seven inches.
Also in the jumps, Jannell Hadnot leaped 38-9 ¾ for second in the triple jump, while Annie Stirling nabbed runner-up honors in the pole vault with a clearance of 12-5 ½.
Freshman also shined for UNM in the jumps, with Katherine Whiting claiming sixth in the pole vault (mark of 11-5 ¾) and Kyra Mohns capturing 10th in the high jump (5-3).
Casey Dowling tied for 15th in the high jump with a height of 5-1.
Marler also produced on the track, placing sixth in the 60-meter dash to lead two other Lobos, Erynn Caldwell (eighth place, time of 7.75) and Peri Moran (10th, 7.91).
Holly Van Grinsven took second in the 60 hurdles in 8.68, with Samantha Bowe (eighth, 9.10), Mohns (ninth, 9.22) and Dowling (10th, 9.25) also finishing top 10.
For the men, Ridge Jones lit up the track for New Mexico, winning the 60 dash in 6.79. Right behind was second-place Allan Hamilton (6.90) and Carlos Wiggins in 11th (6.99).
Yannick Roggatz notched the Lobos’ final top-10 finish with a third-place showing in the long jump, leaping 23 ½.
Multi-athletes freshman Beau Clafton and Daniel Lam also had productive college debuts, with Lam placing eighth in the pole vault (15-7) and Clafton earning 24th in the 60 hurdles (9.44).
New Mexico returns to action Saturday, January 24, as more of the Lobos make their season debuts at the home-opening Lobo Collegiate Invitational at the Albuquerque Convention Center.