Lobo Track & Field Shines at Don Kirby Tailwind Open
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico track & field team posted a superb team performance Saturday at the Don Kirby Tailwind Open, picking up a number of personal records and top-10 marks.
In just their second major competition and only home competition of the 2018 outdoor track season, the Lobos shined across the board at the Great Friends of UNM Track & Field Stadium en route to earning seven event titles and 44 top-10 finishes
“It’s really nice to be out here, compete and get going,” New Mexico head coach Joe Franklin said. “It’s just our second week of the season and we still have five weeks until the conference championships, so we’re just starting to put together the team and the pieces.”
With a number of athletes still yet to open up outdoors, Saturday’s meet nonetheless provided New Mexico plenty of opportunities for improvement on the road toward the postseason.
Powered by some standout results, the Lobos started to gain key experience and make ground on the national rankings.
The top 48 athletes in each event in the NCAA’s West Region advance to the NCAA West Preliminary Championship in late May, which is the qualifying meet for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June.
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| Ryan Chase |
Leading the charge on a warm spring day was New Mexico’s field-event athletes, as they contributed three event titles and some outstanding marks.
In her first-ever competition in a UNM uniform, Michelle Traynham tallied a win in the women’s javelin, hurling the spear 155 feet, three inches. Just the second Lobo to post a top-10 mark in the event since 2010, Traynham moves to second in school history.
Sara Reyes (fourth place, mark of 126-4) and Morgan Smith (sixth, 113-0) also finished top-10 in the javelin.
Allison Mady and Ada’ora Chigbo added wins in the shot put (43-11 ¾) and high jump (5-7 ¼), respectively, with Shannon Fritz finishing third in both the high jump (5-5 ¼) and pole vault (11-6 ½). Katherine Whiting was also sixth in the vault (11-6 ½).
In the men’s field events, Ryan Chase registered a strong mark of 24-6 ¼ in the men’s long jump to finish fourth, while Brent Dionisio showed well in the high jump (second, 6-8). Chase was also fourth in the shot put (42-11 ¾).
Malik Matthews-Gordon took runner-up honors in the men’s javelin (188-8), while Daniel Lam placed third in the discus (126-3) and fifth in the pole vault (15-4 ¼).
Additionally, Jason Atencio placed sixth in the pole vault (14-10 ¼) and Tanner Battikha took 10th in the long jump (23-5 ¼).
The track events were also productive, with the men’s sprinters highlighting the team’s performances.
The men’s 4×100 meter relay team of Beau Clafton, Alejandro Goldston, Carlos Salcido and Jay Griffin IV teamed up for a winning time of 40.30 seconds, while Salcido (21.05) and Griffin (21.44) placed 2-4 in the open 200-meter run. Goldston was also ninth in the 100 (10.95).
Mark Haywood chipped in a strong time of 47.49 in the 400 to place fifth, while Isaac Gonzales finished 10th in both the 200 (21.88) and 400 (48.35).
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| Charlotte Prouse |
In the women’s sprints and hurdles, Kyra Mohns placed second in the 400 hurdles (1:01.78) and eighth in the 100 hurdles (14.61). Erynn Caldwell finished eighth in the 100 (12.23).
The middle-distance and distance events saw a handful of standouts make their outdoor debuts.
The tandem of Charlotte Prouse and Alondra Negrón Texidor finished 1-2 in the women’s 2000-meter steeplechase (6:37.89 and 6:51.07, respectively), with Jonny Glen taking home a win in the men’s version (5:53.81).
Kieran Casey (third, 2:13.07) and Steffi Jones (fourth, 2:16.67) also raced well in the women’s 800, while Ian Crowe-Wright took fourth in the men’s 800 (1:53.51).
Elsewhere, Kendall Kelly led a pack of Lobos in the 3000 with her winning time of 10:08.90, with Sarah Laverty (second, 10:23.46), Emily Martin (fourth, 10:44.10) and Elizabeth Weiler (fourth, 10:53.66) finishing right behind.
Taylor Potter also won the men’s 3000 (8:51.69), followed by Jared Garcia (third, 8:54.50) and Brandon Parrado (eighth, 9:13.24).
The 1500s rounded out the Lobos’ top-10 performances, with Alex Buck (fifth, 4:48.61) and Mackenzie Everett (sixth, 4:53.91) in the women’s race and Chris Graham (seventh, 4:03.64) in the men’s.
Most of the team is off next weekend, but a small group of New Mexico athletes will travel to San Diego for the Triton Invitational hosted by UC San Diego.
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