SFA Track and Field Returns to Action at New Mexico Classic and Multis

Friday, February 2

Albuquerque, N.M.

ALL DAY

Stephen F. Austin

New Mexico Classic & Multis

SFA Track and Field Returns to Action at New Mexico Classic and Multis

2/1/2018 6:37:00 PM | Track & Field

By: Kevin Meyer | Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations

Live Stream
Live Results

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M – The Stephen F. Austin track and field team will make a return to competition after a two-week hiatus when it takes part in the New Mexico Classic in Albuquerque this weekend. The two-day event features a lineup of 17 schools, with representation from Power Five schools as well as other regional mid-major representation.

A live stream for the meet can be found on the SFA Track and Field schedule page, or via the link posted above. Live results for all events will be posted at liverunningresults.com.

"We get to go to New Mexico this weekend, and we get the elevation factor, which is nice because the air is a little thinner, it helps our jumpers and sprinters a bit," said SFA assistant track and field coach Ron McCown. "We'll have our multis compete in the open events this weekend, and our jumpers and pole vaulters will also be in action."

Looking to take advantage of favorable conditions at New Mexico will be Isaiah Pittman and Kariyah Lanehart, who will both be competing in the long jump and triple jump, while Noah Berney will look to build on a strong start to the season in the high jump. In the pole vault, current conference leader Antonio Ruiz will compete for SFA, as well as Kaylee Bizzell and Dakota Mayr on the women's side.

Coming off a great week of practice, the SFA sprinters hope to also take advantage of the conditions and facility at New Mexico to improve their individual marks. The trio of Khalil Lacey, Aaron Piper and Jared Love will each compete in the 60m and 200m races, while the duo of Tedrick Hawkins and Kerry Gleason will both run their first 400m of the season in addition to running a leg of the 4x400 relay on Saturday.

Having been named Southland Conference Track Athlete of the Week in his previous competition, Drake Murphy will run the 600m race alongside teammate Payton Davis, as both look to run the race for training, as well as running a leg of the 4x400 relay. In the 60m hurdles, Jordan Washington and Gleason will both look to make the finals in the event in a field that will be stacked with talent.

On the women's side, Tiffany Williams will run her first 400m race of the season, joined by teammates Dominique Jackson and Aaliyah Teel. Imani Nave will run the 60m and 200m races, with her mark at the Ted Nelson Invitational in the 200m currently placing her second in the conference in that event. The trio of Shania Ford, Madison Compass and LaSean Davis will each run the 600m, with Davis also set to run a leg the in the 4x400 relay and Ford and Compass set to run the 800m on Saturday.

"We are coming off of a great week of practice," said SFA sprints coach Michael Courtney. "I am looking forward to watching everyone compete. This is one of the best indoor tracks in the country, and that coupled with the fact that we are at altitude should equal some pretty fast times for the sprint group."
Looking to bounce back from a lackluster showing at the Texas Tech Invitational will be the throwers under direction of Coach Phil Olson. Four women (Maggie Okul, Bellodgia Roberson, Tierra Wilson and Mallory Dotson) will compete in the weight throw for SFA, while Dotson will also compete in the shot put.

"We've worked really hard in the last ten days to get ready for this meet," said SFA head coach Phil Olson. "After the Lubbock meet, I think we were all a little disappointed in how we performed and wanted to improve as group. Everyone has been focused in practice, we've seen some good improvements and when people work hard as a group and improve over time, it's fun for everyone involved. We're having some fun, we've been improving and I'm very confident that it will pay off for us this weekend."

Taking part in the shot put for the men will be Ben Bibby and Kevin Steward, while Bibby will join Kevin Steward in the weight throw as well.

Overall, the meets leading up to the conference meet are all about improving the marks set along the way, and the drive to better those marks has spurred on a much-needed sense of urgency and drive for excellence throughout the team, according to Olson.

"We've talked about making improvements in a lot of areas in the way we do things. Preparation, executing and competing well is something we feel we missed the mark on at Texas Tech, and now I think everyone is really focused across the whole team, ready to show a sense of urgency reflecting the conference meet being just three weeks away. We're looking to improve and compete at a high level across the board, and get done what we know we can do.

Results for the meet as well as a recap of each day of competition will be found on sfajacks.com.

-SFA-