New Mexico Quadrangular — Albuquerque, N.M.
When: Friday, April 10
Where: Great Friends of University of New Mexico Track & Field Stadium in Albuquerque
Live Results: LiveRunningResults.com
At this weekend’s quadrangular, the goal isn’t to run fast, jump far or throw far. The goal is to beat the person next to you.
The University of New Mexico track and field team is aiming to capture wins and progress as it hosts Air Force, Wyoming and New Mexico State at the New Mexico Quadrangular this Friday in Albuquerque.
The Lobos, competing the bulk of their team for the just the second time in the outdoor season, are hosting the first regular-season scored meet at the Great Friends of UNM Track & Field Stadium since 2009 with one goal.
“It’s all about winning races,” New Mexico head coach Joe Franklin said.
Although athletes are still getting going and are just beginning to make strides toward the postseason, this weekend’s scored meet looks to provide means for both progress and potential NCAA qualification.
With the championship season just two months away, picking up good times now can help propel athletes toward competing in the postseason in May.
The top 48 athletes in each event in the NCAA’s West Region advance to the NCAA West Preliminary Championship, which is the qualifying meet for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June.
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| Mustafa Mudada |
New Mexico opened with a strong performance across the board last weekend as it hosted the Don Kirby Tailwind Invitational. The Lobos look to continue that trend this weekend as some of the team’s top sprinters, middle-distance runners, jumpers and throwers compete.
Peter Callahan is back in action after winning the 800-meter run last weekend. He’ll be joined by Alex Herring and Todd Wakefield in the 800, while Wakefield, Ross Matheson, Matt Bergin, and Zac Castillo run in the 1500.
New Mexico’s sprinters will also look for wins. Mountain West 60-meter champ and NCAA qualifier Ridge Jones will open his season in the 100 alongside Scott Bajere and William Carter.
Bajere, Carter, Carlos Wiggins and Mark Haywood are slated to compete in the 200, and Haywood, Charles Lewis, Chris Kline and Dominic Davis are entered in the 400.
Lewis will also get his first taste in his speciality, the 400 hurdles, while emerging hurdle talent Mustafa Mudada and Cheyne Dorsey also run the hurdles.
The Lobos will also run their primary sprint-relay teams, with Hamilton, Jones, Wiggins and Bajere in the 4×100 meter relay and Mudada, Kline, Haywood and Lewis in the 4×400.
Out in the field events, the men will turn to reigning MW Men’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week Logan Pflibsen in the pole vault; All-American Allan Hamilton and Yannick Roggatz in the triple jump; and Michael Ellis, Marcus Simon, Beau Clafton and Nik Aston in the javelin.
On the women’s side, Sophie Connor is aiming to duplicate her win in the 800 from last week, and will run alongside Tamara Armoush, Amber Zimmerman and Zoe Howell.
Also in the middle-distance, Nicola Hood and Nicole Roberts are running the 1500.
Haley Sanner and Kelsi Lewis are doubling this weekend in the 200 and 400, with Brittany Myricks and Faith Cobb also running the 200 and Holly Van Grinsven opening her season in the quartermile.
The Lobos will look to Peri Moran and Erynn Caldwell in the 100, and the tandem will also run in New Mexico’s 4×100 team with Myricks and Yeshemabet Turner. Sanner, Howell, Cobb and Van Grinsven will run the Lobos’ 4×400.
In the hurdles, Van Grinsven, Samantha Bowe, Casey Dowling and Kyra Mohns are scheduled to compete in the 100 hurdles, while Ariel Burch and Christina Clark are slated to run the 400 hurdles.
Bowe, Dowling and Mohns will also compete in the high jump and the shot put, with Turner in the triple jump and Annie Stirling, Katherine Whiting and Anna Duvall in the pole vault.
The Lobo men enter as the 56th-ranked team in the latest National Team Computer Rankings released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Monday. The Lobo women are tabbed 80th. Both are tops among the teams competing
The meet will kick off with the hammer throw at 8:30 a.m. MT, while track events start at 11 a.m. MT. Check GoLobos.com after the meet Saturday for a full recap.