Lobos Conclude West Regionals With 11 National Qualifiers

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – New Mexico Track & Field saved its best for last on Day Four of competition at NCAA West Regionals, with eight athletes punching their tickets to Eugene in four events and the Lobo women’s 4x400m relay closing out the night with an improvement on their UNM program record from this season and their first NCAA Outdoor Championship qualification in program history.

In total, the Lobos conclude their stay in College Station with 11 total qualifiers for NCAA Outdoor Championships, tied for the second-most in program history with 2009 and 2022:

• Pamela Kosgei (5,000m; 10,000m)
• Marion Jepngetich (5,000m)
• Sophia McDonell (3,000m Steeplechase)
• Sofia Pineda (4x400m)
• Rebecca Grieve (4x400m)
• Lou-Anne Pouzancre Hoyer (4x400m)
• Hanna Kiess (4x400m)
• Judy Rono (1,500m)
• Ishmael Kipkurui (5,000m; 10,000m)
• Habtom Samuel (5,000m; 10,000m)
• Mathew Kosgei (3,000m Steeplechase)

In UNM Head Coach Darren Gauson’s first year in 2024, the Lobos qualified 12 athletes for NCAA West Regionals, with Habtom Samuel as the lone representative at NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene — this year, UNM qualified 27 athletes for the regional meet and advanced 11 to Eugene.

1,500 Meters Quarterfinal
8. Judy Rono – 4:09.07

Judy Rono broke Abbe Goldstein’s program record by 1.25 seconds with a 4:09.07 finish that advanced her to NCAA Outdoor Championships on time alone – the freshman finished sixth in a loaded second heat but had the eighth-fastest time of quarterfinals and was the fastest non-automatic qualifier.

3,000 Steeplechase Quarterfinal
7. Sophia McDonnell – 9:57.14
Like Rono, McDonnell posted the fastest non-automatic qualifying time in the women’s steeplechase, crossing in 9:57.14 to finish fourth in her heat with the seventh-fastest time of the day. McDonnell made it back-to-back sub-10 minute performances after breaking the 10-minute barrier for the first time in her career two weeks ago at Mountain West Championships, doing so in significantly more difficult conditions with hot temperatures and humidity in the air in College Station.

In her final collegiate season, McDonnell will compete at least once more in her specialty event in Eugene in two weeks.

400 Meters Quarterfinal
17. Rebecca Grieve – 52.66
Grieve finished seventh in her heat but was only the fifth woman out of qualifying for Eugene in the women’s 400m, putting down a 52.66 performance that ranked 17th in quarterfinals.

400 Hurdles Quarterfinal
17. Hanna Kiess – 57.70

Hanna Kiess took a third of a second off her UNM record-breaking 58.03 PB in the 400 hurdles quarterfinals, posting a 57.70 to become the first Lobo woman to run below 58 seconds in school history.

After entering the week ranked 31st in the West Region, she leaves College Station with the 17th-best time of the field in her first Regional meet.

5,000 Meters Semifinal
5. Pamela Kosgei
7. Marion Jepngetich
18. Alice Seguin – 16:17.83
23. Nicola Jansen – 16:24.72
36. Brigid Hanley – 16:40.37

After Marion Jepngetich hung around the front and took the lead early on in the second heat while Pamela Kosgei hung around the back of the pack for the first six laps, Kosgei pulled ahead as the two separated themselves from the rest of the group for a runaway 1-2 finish in the second heat that ensured two more automatic qualifications to nationals. The freshman duo crossed in 15:51.20 and 15:52.44, respectively, ahead of Alice Seguin (18th overall, 16:17.83), Nicola Jansen (23rd, 16:24.72) and Brigid Hanley (36th, 16:40.37). Jansen and Hanley both cracked the Top 40 in the West after entering this weekend as two of the last athletes to make the cut with the 56th- and 58th-ranked performances in the region.

4×400 Relay Quarterfinal
7. Sofia Pineda (54.21), Lou-Anne Pouzancre (53.04), Hanna Kiess (53.27), Rebecca Grieve (51.21) – 3:31.71

The Lobo women became the first 4x400m relay to advance to NCAA Outdoor Championships in program history after taking 2.20 seconds off their 3:33.91 program record from earlier this season, finishing third in their heat to earn an automatic qualification even with Grieve and Kiess both running in quarterfinals less than two hours prior. The Lobos held off fourth-place UTSA (3:34.77) and fifth-place Texas (3:35.12) down the stretch after trailing the Longhorns heading into the final leg thanks to a 51.21-second anchor leg from Grieve that ranks as the fastest in a 4x400m relay in program history. Their time ranked seventh overall on the night.