TEMPE, Ariz. — The University of New Mexico track & field team wrapped up competition at the Sun Angel Classic on Saturday with a handful of athletes posting solid results as the team continued to open its outdoor campaign.
After a battling poor conditions in their outdoor opener last Saturday in Albuquerque, the Lobos posted a more productive performance this Saturday at Joe Selleh Track at Sun Angel Stadium, earning strong marks across the board.
This weekend’s trip to Tempe gave the Lobos a chance to gain some much-needed experience, considering some teams have already competed a handful of times outdoors.
Although New Mexico is still just beginning its three-month long outdoor season, the foundation for successful runs later in the year start during the opening weeks of the season.
And, in a meet that featured a number of power conference teams in a high-profile setting, UNM took advantage, translating the competition and the environment into solid early-season marks.
Both Sam Trigg and Jannell Hadnot registered strong outdoor debuts in their specialty, the triple jump. Trigg placed fourth in the men’s triple jump with a mark of 50 feet, 5 inches, while Hadnot was fifth in the women’s with a mark of 41-9 ¾.
UNM’s crew of freshmen long jumpers also had a solid outing, as Tanner Battikha placed seventh (mark of 23-4 ¼) and Alejandro Goldston 10th (22-6 ¾) for the men and Akeisha Ayanniyi tied for 10th (18-5 ½) for the women.
The vertical jumps also produced a couple of good marks in their first competition outdoors. Jason Atencio and John Harari both cleared 15-3 to place 12th in the pole vault, while Shannon Fritz cleared 5-4 ¾ to place 12th in the high jump.
On the track, the Lobos’ middle-distance runners logged strong debuts, as Emil Danielsson and Kieran Casey both won the men’s and women’s open 1500-meter runs, respectively. Danielsson won the men’s in 3 minutes, 52.08 seconds, while Casey took the women’s in 4:33.01.
In the premier section of the women’s 1500, Kendall Kelly placed 10th in 4:38.15, followed by Sophie Eckel in 12th (4:40.27).
The sprints also provided some solid times. Ayanniyi placed 15th in the premier section of the women’s 100 with a time of 12.30, while Erynn Caldwell (10th, 12.58) and Peri Moran (13th, 12.76) ran in the open section.
Hannah Riker-Urrutia also chipped in a season best in the 400 (58.12), and Kyra Mohns ran a solid time of 1:02.90 to place 12th in her first-ever 400-meter hurdles race.
For the men, Carlos Salcido ran a 16th-place time of 21.86 in the 200, and the 400 hurdles duo of Mustafa Mudada (12th, 53.33) and Cheyne Dorsey (13th, 53.34) claimed season bests in a closely contested race.
Salcido also teamed up Goldston, Mark Haywood and Isaac Gonzales to run a time of 41.86 in the 4×100 meter relay, an improvement on their opener last weekend.
The throws rounded out the Lobos’ competitors on the weekend.
Amaris Blount set a new personal record in the hammer throw, unleashing a toss of 178-7 ¼ to place sixth in the open section and move to second in program history. Allison Mady added a PR in the hammer, as well, tossing 149-4 ½ for 18th place and seventh in UNM history.
Mady was also 12th in the open shot put, recording a mark of 41 ½.
The Lobos also notched PRs in the javelin throw, where Malik Matthews-Gordon reached 195-2 for second place in the men’s event and Morgan Smith reached 114-3 ¼ in the women’s. Nik Aston added a ninth-place toss of 179-9 ¼.
The Lobos return to action next week as they head to the Bryan Clay Invitational hosted by Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, Calif.
Fans can follow the Lobos on Twitter (@lobo_track) and Instagram (@lobo_xc_tf) for information and updates on the team!