Don Kirby Tailwind Open — Albuquerque, N.M.
When: Saturday, April 2
Where: Great Friends of UNM Track & Field Stadium in Albuquerque
Live Results: LiveRunningResults.com
Meet Notes | Schedule/Heat Sheets | Live Results
As the grass gets greener and the days get longer, the Lobos are ready to go outdoors.
The University of New Mexico track & field team opens up its outdoor campaign this Saturday at the Don Kirby Tailwind Open as the Lobos’ sprinters, jumpers and throwers take aim in the team’s only home outdoor meet of the year.
The Lobos, who are also sending a handful of runners to the Stanford Invitational this weekend, are looking to open their 10-week outdoor season with strong showings when they compete at the Great Friends of UNM Track & Field Stadium.
Most of the Lobos haven’t seen action since the Mountain West Indoor Championships in late February, so this short, one-day meet gives the athletes a chance to get back in the swing of things.
And while the Don Kirby is the first meet for most of the team — some throwers competed last weekend at UTEP — beginning to build early momentum is also key. The postseason starts in mid May, and strong performances now can pay dividends later in the season.
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.
| Holly Van Grinsven |
New Mexico’s sprinters and jumpers are competing in force this weekend, while a handful of the Lobos’ distance runners and throwers are in action.
In the short sprints, Haley Sanner, Peri Moran and Samantha Woodman are doubling in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, while Aasha Marler and Erynn Caldwell are entered in 100 and Holly Van Grinsven, Faith Cobb and Zoe Howell are entered in the 200.
Larimar Rodriguez and Christina Clark are running the 400, and Van Grinsven, Samantha Bowe and Kyra Mohns are slated to compete in the 100 hurdles.
The men are running Ridge Jones, Scott Bajere and Will Carter in the 100 and 200, while Mark Haywood, Carlos Salcido, Chris Kline, Parker Jones are running the just the 200. Bajere, Salcido, Allan Hamilton and Ridge Jones are also teaming up to run a 4×100 meter relay.
Parker Jones and Andris Sturans will also take on the 110 hurdles with Yannick Roggatz and Daniel Lam. Isaac Gonzales is slated to run the 400 and Cheyne Dorsey the 400 hurdles.
The middle-distance events feature Kendall Kelly and Reiley Kelly in the 1500 and Lindsey Andrews and Ruth Haynes in the 3000.
The men are running Adam Cotton and Adam Monroe in the 800 and Matt Bergin, Zac Castillo, Julian Florez, Chris Graham, Jesus Mendoza and Tyler Valdez in the 1500.
Out in the field, Marler makes her debut in the long jump and triple jump after redshirting indoors, and will be joined by Jannell Hadnot in both horizontal jumps. Bowe and Mohns are also in the long jump.
Annie Stirling leads a small group in the pole vault that includes Katherine Whiting, Anna Duvall and Morgan Smith.
Amaris Blount and Allison Mady will take aim in the shot put and the discus.
Hamilton, Roggatz, Bajere, Sturans and Sam Trigg are entered in the long jump, with Trigg and Markus Miller entered in the triple jump.
Joe Kloeppel and Miller are also set to high jump, while Lam, Jason Atencio and John Harari are looking for good opens in the pole vault.
Rounding out the men’s competitors are Beau Clafton (shot put, discus) and Nik Aston (javelin).
The meet starts at 10 a.m. with the javelin throw, with track events kicking off a 11 a.m. Live results for the Don Kirby Tailwind can be found at LiveRunningResults.com. Also, check back at GoLobos.com Friday night for a recap and results.