New School Record Sets Tone for SFA Track and Field at Pair of Weekend Meets

Saturday, March 24

San Antonio, Texas

ALL DAY

Stephen F. Austin

UTSA Invitational

New School Record Sets Tone for SFA Track and Field at Pair of Weekend Meets

3/24/2018 11:40:00 PM | Track & Field

SFA men place fifth, women eighth at UTSA Invitational

By: Kevin Meyer | Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations

UTSA Roadrunner Invitational Results
Victor Lopez Classic Results

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- The Stephen F. Austin track and field team got a chance to showcase its talents at the two-day UTSA Roadrunner Invitational on Friday and Saturday, and saw multiple athletes put forth season or career bests at the two day event. No finish made bigger waves than a record-setting relay team for the Lumberjacks, however, helping the 'Jacks to a fifth-place finish on the men's side.

The men's 4x100 relay team of Aaron Piper, Jared Love, Tedrick Hawkins and Khalil Lacy would reach new heights on the day, setting a new school record in the event with a time of 39.71, which demolished the previous record of 40.24 and ranked them within the top ten nationally.

"It's always a great thing to break a school record," said SFA sprints coach Mike Courtney. " These guys obliterated the old one. I am very happy for this group and look forward to watching them continue to improve throughout the year."

The women's 4x100 team of Meghan Bell, Camille Singleton, Imani Nave and Aaliyah Teel placed sixth with a time of 46.52. In the 4x400, the women's team of Imani Nave, Tiffany Williams, Camille Singleton and Aaliyah Teel ran to a time of 3:48.98 and placed seventh. The men's 4x400 relay team of Kerry Gleason, Payton Davis, Drake Murphy and Tedrick Hawkins would place fifth with a time of 3:11.74.

In the men's 110m high hurdles, Kerry Gleason would place third with a time of 14.43, followed by Sam Smethers in sixth with a personal best of 14.82 and Jordan Washington in eighth at 14.96. Gleason continued his strong day with a mark of 51.28 in the 400m hurdles, placing second, while Hawkins would race to a fourth place finish in the 200m dash with a time of 21.21.

"Kerry Gleason had an excellent opener, his time in the 400 hurdles of 51.28 would've put him second in the nation heading into the weekend, and will likely see him in the top ten after this week. Aaron Piper and Jared Love were pretty good in the 100m dash as well, and Tedrick Hawkins ran a 21.21 in the 200, which is a real good season opener that will be a regional qualifying mark for him already. Dominique Jackson had a real good race in the 400m hurdles, and that will lead the conference and get her into the first round of nationals as well. The women's 800m girls all dropped to 2:16, which would put them in the top eight in our conference right now."

Drake Murphy would race to a sixth place finish in the 400m dash, coming in at 48.11, while Jared Love and Aaron Piper placed fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 100m dash with times of 10.50 and 10.52. On the women's side, Camille Singleton placed eighth in the 100m with a time of 12.05, just ahead of teammate Aaliyah Teel at 12.15. Imani Nave would race to a time of 24.20 in the 200m dash. Dominique Jackson placed fifth in the women's 400m hurdles with a time of 1:00.30.

The aforementioned trio of 800m runners on the women's side of Shania Ford, Allison Compass and Madison Compass finished at 2:16.18, 2:16.61 and 2:16.78, respectively.

In the women's hammer throw, Tierra Wilson would placed eighth with a distance of 50.75m (166-06), while Caitlin Lennon claimed third in the javelin throw with a personal best mark of 42.92m (140-10). Teammate Jillian Turner also placed in the javelin, coming in seventh with a distance of 36.84m (120-10). Kevin Steward threw the discus 50.15m (164-06), good for an eighth place finish in the event.

Kaylee Bizzell vaulted to a fourth place finish in the women's pole vault with a mark of 3.95m (12-11.50), while teammate Dakota Mayr finished eighth with a heigh of 3.65m (11-11.75). Antonio Ruiz came in third in the men's pole vault with a mark of 5.30m (17-04.50), while Chad Horstmann placed fifth with a clearance of 4.85m (15-11.00).

In the men's long jump, Denzel Green took third overall with a distance of 7.40m (24-03), while teammate Isaiah Pittman placed fifth with a mark of 7.24m (23-09). Pittman would also notch a third place finish in the triple jump with a mark of 15.01m (49-03.00), while Green came in fourth at 14.69m (48-02.50).

A pair of triple jumpers placed within the top eight for the Ladyjacks, as Kariyah Lanehart took fifth with a personal best distance of 11.90m (39-00.50) and teammate Raylie Huff placed eighth at 11.46m (37-07.25). Kadejah Wilson and Lanehart tied for eighth in the women's high jump with a height of 1.60m (5-03.00).

The distance runners would also wrap up competition at the Victor Lopez Classic, hosted by Rice University. In the men's 1500 meter run, Quinlan McGregor would finish in seventh with a time of 3:52.77, just ahead of teammate Erick Rotich in eighth with a time of 3:54.69.

Titus Kiplagat raced to a third place finish in the men's 5000m race with a personal best of 15:08.05.

Kelsey Ramirez would finish first in the 1500m run with a time of 4:33.02, while teammate Brittany Innis placed eighth with a mark of 4:41.60 in the event.

Next up for SFA Track and Field is the five day Texas Relays event, stretching from March 27^th to the 31^st.

-SFA-