United Athletic Conference

Complete Release (PDF)

 

Tarleton's Justin Raines and Stephen F. Austin's Cord Neal has been named TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Men's Outdoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week, respectively, for April 6 through April 10.

 

Raines, a freshman from Copperas Cove, Texas, collected a runner-up finish at the North Texas Classic, Saturday. He finished second in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.23, 0.01 seconds behind North Texas' Karlington Anunagba. His time earned him the spot as the fastest sprinter in the WAC performance list and 26th in the NCAA according to TFRRS. 

 

Neal, a senior from Chester, Texas, won the javelin at the Carl Knight Invitational, Thursday through Saturday. He won the event with a mark of 72.26m (237' 1"), placing him first in the WAC and 10th in the NCAA performance lists.

 

Other track nominees: Abilene Christian's Maxwel Kiplagat placed fourth in the steeplechase (9:14.70) at the Carl Knight Invitational ... Grand Canyon's Jacob Lewis placed sixth in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:49.64 that places him first in the WAC and 39th in the NCAA performance lists at the Sun Angel Classic, Thursday through Saturday … Stephen F. Austin's Jeremiah Curry won the 400-meter run with a time of 46.54 seconds, first in the WAC and 46th in the NCAA performance lists, at the Carl Knight Invitational … UT Rio Grande Valley's Tristan Pena won the 1,500 meters with a time of 3:52.13 and placed eighth in the 800-meter run with at time of 1:55.33 at the UIW Invitational, Friday through Saturday … Utah Valley's Zane Farrer win the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 12.18 seconds, third in the WAC performance list, at the Weber State Spring Open, Friday.

 

Other field nominees: Abilene Christian's Tyler Richardson won the shot put with mark of 16.63m (54' 6.75") and placed sixth in discus throw (48.00m/157' 6") at the North Texas Classic ... Grand Canyon's Eric Cabais-Fernandez placed sixth pole vault with a mark of 5.22m (17' 1.5"), placing him second in the WAC and 29th in the NCAA performance list, at the Sun Angel Classic … Tarleton's Alan Palmer won the long jump with a mark of 7.18m (23' 6.75") at the North Texas Classic … UT Rio Grande Valley's Michael Campbell won the shot put (15.05m/55' 11.25") and discus throw (46.72m/153' 3") placing him first and third in the WAC performance list, respectively, at the UIW Invitational … Utah Valley's Seth Krauss finished runner-up in high jump with a mark of 2.09m (6' 10.25") at the Weber State Invitational.

 

After record breaking performances on both track and field events, Stephen F. Austin's Nissi Kabongo has been named TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Women's Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Week for April 6 through April 10.

 

Kabongo, a junior from Plano, Texas, collected two wins and set two program records at the Carl Knight Invitational, Thursday through Saturday. 

 

Kabongo won the 400-meter hurdles with a career best time of 58.75 seconds, breaking SFA's previous program record (58.98 seconds) set by Dominique Jackson in 2018. Her performance in the 400-meter hurdles puts her first in the WAC and 28th in the NCAA performance lists according to TFRRS. She then came back to win the high jump with an outdoor best mark of 1.82m (5' 11.5"), first in the WAC and 16th in the NCAA performance lists. This time too she broke SFA's previous program record of 1.79m (5' 10.75") set by Teresa Murray in 2005.

 

Other track nominees: Abilene Christian's Briahna Gerlach won the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:32.48, eighth in the WAC performance list, at the Carl Knight Invitational … Grand Canyon's Alexa Hokanson placed third in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:05.72, second in the WAC and 26th in the NCAA performance lists, at the Sun Angel Classic, Thursday through Saturday … NM State's Jhana Downie won the 200-meter dash with time of 23.90 seconds, fourth in the WAC performance list, and finished runner-up in the 100-meter dash (11.80) at the New Mexico Spring Invite, Thursday … Tarleton's Jenna Brazeal won the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:39.37 at the North Texas Classic, Saturday … UT Rio Grande Valley's Samantha Gonzalez finished runner-up in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 17:45.76 at the UIW Invitational, Friday through Saturday … Utah Valley's Larissa Dabb won the 400-meter run with a time of 55.06 seconds, fourth in the WAC performance list, at the Weber State Spring Open, Friday.

 

Other field nominees: Abilene Christian's Annina Brandenburg won the shot put with a mark of 16.28m (53' 5") which would be third in the WAC and 30th in the NCAA performance lists. She also won the discus throw with a mark of 55.92m (183' 5") which would place second in the WAC behind her own season best and 14th in NCAA performance lists, at the North Texas Classic … Grand Canyon's Alyson Schwartz placed second in pole vault with a mark of 4.10m (13' 5.25"), second in the WAC and 38th in the NCAA performance lists, at the Sun Angel Classic …. Lamar's Parl Eelma placed third in Heptathlon with a score of 4,892 at the Carl Knight Invitational … NM State's Makiya Moore won the discus throw with a mark of 46.52m (152' 7"), fourth in the WAC performance list, at the New Mexico Spring Invite … Tarleton's Rylee Hennig won the high jump with a mark of 1.75m (5' 8.75"), second in the WAC and 48th in the NCAA performance lists, at the North Texas Classic … Utah Valley's Kelsi Oldroyd won the javelin with a mark of 45.92m (150' 8"), fourth in the WAC performance list, at the Utah Spring Classic, Saturday.

 

Grand Canyon, Seattle U and a group of the Utah Valley Wolverines are kicking of the week early at the Bryan Clay Invitational, Wednesday. The Lopes, Redhawks and Wolverines will be joined by part of the NM State team on the second day.

 

California Baptist and a group of the Utah Valley team will also start the week early at the Mt. SAC Relays, Wednesday. NM State will be splitting their teams and some of them will be joining the Lancers and Wolverines for the second day of the Mt. SAC Relays along with Seattle U. Abilene Christian will add the number of WAC teams to five as they join the meet on the third day.

 

Long Beach State will be hosting two back to back meets, the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate and Beach Invitational, Thursday and Friday through Saturday, respectively. A group of NM State Aggies and Utah Valley will be competing at both of the meets.

 

Stephen F. Austin will be hosting Lamar, Sam Houston and Tarleton at the SFA Earl Milner Invitational, Friday.

 

The UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros will be on the road to compete at the Cactus Cup hosted by Texas A&M Kingsville, Friday.