Sun Angel Classic — Tempe, Ariz.
When: Friday-Saturday, April 8-9
Where: Joe Selleh Track at Sun Angel Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.
Live Results: FinishedResults.com
Live Stream: Pac-12 Network
Meet Notes | Heat Sheets | Schedule | Live Stream
The Lobos started off hot last weekend, and they’ll look to keep bringing the heat this week in Arizona.
After a productive season opener last weekend in Albuquerque, the University of New Mexico track & field team is aiming for continued progress as it heads to the Sun Angel Classic this Friday and Saturday in Tempe, Ariz.
The Lobos, competing the bulk of their team for the just the second time in the outdoor season, are still getting athletes going and are just beginning to make strides toward the postseason, which starts in May.
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| Ridge Jones | |
And this weekend’s meet looks to provide ample opportunity for progress and potential NCAA qualification, as nearly 2,000 collegiate entries from 25 colleges will descend on Joe Selleh Track at Sun Angel Stadium.
It’s the type of atmosphere that can help facilitate strong performances, as the Lobos will dual athletes from a number of top teams — including Arizona, Arizona State, Kansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame and Texas A&M.
And even though the championship season is still two months away, earning strong marks this weekend can help power athletes into the postseason.
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.
New Mexico opened with a strong performance across the board last weekend as it hosted the Don Kirby Tailwind Open in its only home meet of the year.
The Lobos look to continue that trend this weekend as some of the team’s top athletes compete.
Aasha Marler (long jump, triple jump) and Jannell Hadnot (LJ, TJ) are among the nation’s best in the horizontal jumps, as they rank 3-4 in the NCAA in the triple jump.
Marler, who is also competing in the 100, is also ranked 14th in the NCAA in long jump.
The men’s jumps crew will also be well-represented by Allan Hamilton and Yannick Roggatz in the long jump and Sam Trigg in the triple jump. All three are currently ranked top-50 in the NCAA in their specialities.
Also looking for improvement are the Lobos’ pole vaulter, with Katherine Whiting and Annie Stirling on the women’s side and John Harari and Jason Atencio on the men’s side, and the UNM’s throwers, with Allison Mady and Amaris Blount and javelin thrower Nik Aston.
New Mexico’s multi-athletes are preparing for their combined event next week. Samantha Bowe and Kyra Mohns will also take aim in the jumps and the 100 hurdles, while Beau Clafton and Daniel Lam are entered in the shot put and discus, with Lam also entered in the long jump.
Rounding out the Lobos’ field event entrants are Joe Kloeppel and Markus Miller in the high jump.
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| Katherine Whiting | |
On the track, Ridge Jones leads the men’s sprinters in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, with Scott Bajere and Carlos Salcido also entered.
That trio will also team up with Hamilton as they eye to run an NCAA-qualifying time in the 4×100 meter relay.
Roggatz and Parker Jones will take aim in the 110 hurdles for the men, while Mark Haywood, Chris Kline, Mustafa Mudada and Isaac Gonzales are entered in the 400.
Additionally, Mudada and Cheyne Dorsey are slated to run the 400 hurdles and Dorsey, Kline, Gonzales and Haywood are scheduled to run a 4×400 relay.
On the women’s side, Erynn Caldwell and Peri Moran are running both the 100 and 200, while Faith Cobb will run both the 200 and 400. Haley Sanner and Larimar Rodriguez are entered in just the 400, with Zoe Howell the lone Lobo in the 800.
Along with Holly Van Grinsven, who is also running the 100 hurdles, Sanner, Howell and Rodriguez will team up to run the 4×400. The 4×100 relay will feature Van Grinsven, Sanner, Caldwell and Marler.
The Lobo women enter as the 18th-ranked team in the latest National Team Computer Rankings released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association on Monday. The Lobo men are 69th.
Of the collegiate teams competing, Texas A&M’s men are ranked third with its women’s squad fifth. Texas Tech’s men are 12th, and Notre Dame’s women are 19th.
The Lobos will kick off competition Friday with the pole vault and hammer throw, while the bulk of the action starts Saturday at 11 a.m. Check GoLobos.com after the meet Saturday for a full recap.