PHOTO GALLERY: Arizona Desert Heat Classic, 5/4

The final regular season meet for the Lobos was Saturday, May 3 at the University of Arizona Desert Heat Invitational, hosted at Drachman Stadium two miles southwest of the main UA campus. As athletes prepared for the conference championship, the coaching staff anticipated strong performances from the team.

For the Lobo women, Pietra Campbell Simoes ran her fastest 100-meter hurdles of the season at 13.93 (+2.4m/s), though the wind exceeded the allowable limit for record consideration. In the 3,000-meter steeplechase, Katrina Endres (11:39.51) and Sylvia Schwedler (11:41.20) placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

The 400 meters featured a competitive field. Rebecca Grieve and Lou-Anne Pouzancre Hoyer lined up against the Mountain West Conference’s top sprinter. Grieve, starting in lane nine, ran a 52.08 to finish fourth and break Tianna Holmes’ school record of 52.11. Grieve entered the MWC Championships ranked No. 2 and moved to No. 15 in the NCAA West Region. Pouzancre Hoyer recorded a personal best of 52.62 to finish sixth, ranking No. 3 in UNM history and No. 23 in the region. Sofia Pineda ran 54.36 for sixth all-time at UNM and entered the MWC meet ranked No. 7. Anaya Quarles clocked 57.40.

In wind-aided 100-meter races, Laylah Lawson ran 11.74 (+3.3m/s) and Ophelia Pulley 12.25 (+2.9m/s). In the rarely contested 3,000 meters, Maleah Goldie finished in 10:32.84 and Lyla Fedio in 10:42.22. Hanna Kiess ran a personal-best 58.40 in the 400-meter hurdles, placing seventh. The time ranked her No. 3 in the MWC, No. 31 in the NCAA West Region, and No. 2 all-time at UNM. It was her fourth personal best of the season.

In the 200 meters, run under legal wind conditions, Lawson ran 24.88 (+0.5m/s), Quarles 24.42 (+0.5m/s), Pulley 25.57 (+0.5m/s), and Campbell Simoes 26.01 (+0.7m/s). In the 800 meters, Hannah Taylor ran 2:13.14 and Fiona Holloway 2:17.93. Marion Jepngetich moved down to the 1,500 meters and placed third with a 4:15.04, which ranks No. 7 all-time at UNM and third in the MWC. Behind her were Brigid Hanley (4:20.66), Tilly Simpson (4:23.23), Natalie Bitetti (4:26.47), Hanna Bruckmayer (4:29.56), Li-Mari Dekker (4:33.82), Mia Torrecillas (4:35.23, PB), and Millie Freeland (4:36.75).

In field events, Zennia Gonzales jumped 19’ 1 ½” (5.83m) (+1.7m/s) in the long jump. Mikyla Harkley went 39’ 5” (12.01m) (+0.0m/s) in the triple jump, while Lilee Kaasch jumped 37’ 3” (11.35m) (+1.3m/s). In the pole vault, Washington’s athlete set an NCAA collegiate record at 15’ 7 ¼” (4.76m). Maja Gebauer cleared 13’ 1 ¾” (4.01m), the fourth-best outdoor performance in school history. Kiara Quezada-Arzate cleared 12’ 2” and Jacquelyn Gorman 11’ 8”. In the javelin, Carlotta Duenninger threw 114’ 2” (34.81m).

For the men, the 4×100-meter relay team of Jacob Cavanaugh, Elijah Jefferson, Cameron Miller and Melaki Gutierrez ran 41.65. Kipruto Koech ran a seasonal-best 9:26.16 in the steeplechase, ranking No. 13 in the MWC. Brodie Young placed second in the 400 meters with a time of 45.84, narrowly behind the winner’s 45.81. The time ranks No. 11 all-time at UNM. Freshman Khari Wilbon ran 47.87 and CJ Pizzeck posted a 50.18 PB. Melaki Gutierrez ran 10.41 (+2.4m/s) in the 100 meters and Elijah Jefferson 10.49 (+2.4m/s).

In the 400-meter hurdles, Levente Soos ran a personal-best 50.53 to place third. The time ranked No. 1 in the MWC, No. 3 all-time at UNM, and No. 16 in the NCAA West Region. Semaj Thompson followed with a personal-best 51.93, ranking No. 3 in the MWC and just outside NCAA West top-48 qualification. In the 200 meters, Jefferson ran 21.31 (+0.5m/s) and Gutierrez 21.51 (+0.8m/s). In the 800 meters, Matthew Endrody ran a personal-best 1:49.15, ranking No. 2 in the MWC. In the 1,500 meters, Lukas Kiprop placed fourth among collegians with 3:44.10, Joshua Abrahams was sixth in 3:45.75, and Blake Reynolds ran 3:58.44.

The men’s 4×400-meter relay team ran a seasonal-best 3:09.39 to place third. Semaj Thompson led off with a 48.8 split, followed by Kahari Wilbon (47.7), Levente Soos (47.7), and Brodie Young, who anchored with a 44.5. That time is the second-fastest relay split in school history, following Adolph Plummer’s 44.4-yard split in 1962.

In men’s field events, Arian Milicija cleared 16’ 6 ¾” (5.05m) in the pole vault. Kyle Hatler cleared a personal-best 16’ ¾” (4.90m), moving to No. 6 in the MWC, and Thomas Alrick cleared 15’ 1” (4.60m).