ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The goal for the University of New Mexico track & field team heading into the weekend was to gain momentum for the rapidly approaching postseason.
On Saturday, two Lobos did just that.
Sophie Connor likely secured a bid to the NCAA Championships and Jannell Hadnot tied a school record as New Mexico continued to gain experience for the championship season at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational.
With the Mountain West Championships in two weeks — and the NCAA Championships in a month — the Lobos captured a number of strong marks in their final regular-season home meet, including superlative results from Connor in the mile run and Hadnot in the triple jump.
Within about a two-hour span at the Albuquerque Convention Center, Connor ran an excellent race and Hadnot uncorked another personal-best jump to headline the Lobos’ effort.
| Sophie Connor |
Connor, a senior from Hertfordshire, England, clocked a personal-record time of 4 minutes, 42.53 seconds in the mile run, meriting a win at the meet and almost assuredly a berth to the national championships.
“It was a 10-second personal best,” Connor said, “which I really couldn’t have predicted coming into today, honestly. I’m overwhelmed, to be honest. Can’t really believe it. Right now hasn’t sunk in.”
After running a time of 4:52.41 two weeks ago, Connor dazzled in the mile on Saturday, relying on her teammates for a strong start as she finished with a time that ranks No. 2 in New Mexico history in the mile.
She’s also made a strong case for a spot at the NCAA Indoor Championships next month. Her time ranked fifth in the nation before Saturday, and the top 16 individuals in every championship event qualify for the NCAAs.
“I knew that I had it in me to run this race, but, to be honest, for a long time my problem has been putting it together on the day,” she said. “And I think today, everything just came together. I had great pacing, I just got into a great rhythm and just went for it.”
Hadnot also got into a great rhythm on Saturday, compiling her best series of jumps in her career en route to a new school record.
The junior from Oakland, Calif., soared 43 feet, 2 ½ inches (13.17 meters) in the triple jump, setting a new personal record by seven centimeters and tying the New Mexico record in the event.
“I was really excited because the weekend before when I jumped 13.10, I realized that the school record was 13.17,” she said. “I was like, ‘Oh, if I could just get that, I’d get really excited for this season.’ And I hit the exact mark, and it was such a blessing.”
Hadnot opened with a jump of 42-8 (13.00 meters; just the third jump ever of at least 13 meters in her career), before unleashing her PR mark on her third attempt. Overall, she had clean marks in all six attempts, averaging 42-4 ¼ (12.91m) for her entire series.
In the competition, she placed fourth overall, and has all but locked up her place at nationals. She ranked seventh in the NCAA heading into the week, and will likely remain in the top-10.
“This was just a really good day,” Hadnot said. “… It was one of the best jumping series I’ve had ever in my life, so I’m really excited about that.”
The Lobos also received a number of strong marks across the board over the course of the two-day meet.
| Emily Hosker-Thornhill |
Along with Connor in the women’s mile, Emily Hosker-Thornhill posted a runner-up time of 4:50.88, as Elmar Engholm and Adam Cotton placed fifth (4:05.39) and eighth (4:10.12), respectively, in the men’s mile.
The Lobos also shined in the 800s, with Adam Monroe placing third for the men in a personal-record 1:53.47 and Zoe Howell taking fifth for the women in a personal-record 2:12.22.
From Friday, the Lobos received five top-10 finishes between the men’s and women’s 3000s, with Zac Castillo (fourth place, time of 8:31.14), Dan Milechman (seventh place, 8:38.87), Tyler Valdez (eighth, 8:52.33) and Jesus Mendoza (ninth, 8:52.55) running for the men and Lindsey Andrews (eighth, 10:26.88) for the women.
David Banwell-Clode placed sixth in the 600 on Friday, running 1:22.22.
Out in the field, Samuel Trigg placed eighth in his first triple jump competition for the Lobos, leaping 50-6 ¾.
The men’s long jumpers were also strong, with Yannick Roggatz (sixth, 24-7 ½) and Allan Hamilton (seventh, 24-3) showing well in the invitational section of the event and Ryan Chase (sixth, 23-6) setting a new PR in the open section.
Amaris Blount added another exceptional performance in the weight throw on Friday, notching her own personal best with a ninth-place toss of 58-6 ½. She now owns five of the top six marks in New Mexico history.
The Lobos are almost done for their regular season, with a distance medley relay team scheduled to run next weekend in North Carolina.
The rest of the Lobos are off next week as they prepare to host the Mountain West Indoor Championships Feb. 25-27 at the Albuquerque Convention Center.