ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico track & field team opened the New Mexico Classic & Multis on Friday with a number of strong marks as they hosted another exceptionally talented field of athletes.
Against competition that included over 15 nationally ranked collegiate teams from across the NCAA, the Lobos logged solid results at the Albuquerque Convention Center as they aim for progress with the Mountain West Championships on the horizon..
Amaris Blount was one of the athletes that logged some tremendous improvement on Friday, as she took third in the weight throw.
Competing against a pair of elite throwers from Ole Miss — one of the nine Division I teams ranked in the top 25 — Blount shined. The Rio Rancho native tallied a new personal record of 60 feet, 3 ¾ inches, improving her season best by over 10 inches.
She now is just seven inches from the school record (60-10 ¾), which Amanda Barnes set in 2005.
Elsewhere in the field events, the Lobos nabbed a bevy of top-10 marks.
Freshman Akeisha Ayanniyi set a new collegiate best in the long jump, jumping 18-10 for seventh place, while the men’s freshmen duo of Tanner Battikha (fifth place, mark of 23-3 ½) and Alejandro Goldston (eighth, 22-2 ¼) also finished top-10.
In the high jump, Shannon Fritz cleared 5-3 for ninth place in the women’s competition, with Caleb Meyer-Hagen and Ryan Chase placing seventh and ninth, respectively, in the men’s competition with clearances of 6-2 ¾ each.
The men’s pole vault saw three Lobos notch identical clearances, as Jason Atencio (ninth place), Nathan Burnett (10th) and John Harari (12th) all reached 15-7.
On the track, Jared Garcia placed seventh in the 3000-meter run, clocking a time of 8:51.88.
In Friday morning’s multis competition, Kyra Mohns captured fifth overall in the pentathlon, totaling a new personal record of 3,691 points.
Mohns rode strong marks in all five events, including PRs in the 60 hurdles (8.99) and the shot put (37-6). She eclipsed her previous career best in the pentathlon by 10 points, with her total of 3,691 sitting fourth in UNM history.
The 60 dash and hurdles were preliminary rounds on Friday, with Ben Shields moving on to Saturday morning’s semifinals of the 60 dash after placing 12th in the first round with a time of 6.89. His mark, a new PR, is tied for 10th in New Mexico history.
The Lobos return to action Saturday for the second day of the New Mexico Classic & Multis. The meet resumes at 10 a.m. MT with the women’s shot put, with action on track starting at 11:30 a.m. MT.
Saturday’s portion of the meet will also be broadcast on FloTrack.
Check back tomorrow at GoLobos.com for a full recap and complete results of Saturday’s New Mexico action.
Fans can follow the Lobos on Twitter (@lobo_track) and Instagram (@lobo_xc_tf) for information and updates on the team!