In the first meet of the indoor season, the Southern Utah University track and field teams traveled to Flagstaff, Arizona to compete in the Lumberjack Team Challenge. SUU and four other schools competed in 14 events, with many T-Birds recording nationally-ranked performances and setting personal bests.
Last season, Southern Utah placed No. 6 in the eight-team Western Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships. They had one athlete, star high jumper Aija Hughes, qualify for the NCAA Division One Championship. This season, they’re looking to establish themselves and make a run in the postseason.
Men’s results
The men’s team had several victories in high-profile events. Ashton Miller won the 400 meter dash with a personal-best 47.22 second time, ranking No. 7 in the NCAA this season. Jaedyn Carpenter finished right behind with a 47.28, good for No. 8 in the NCAA.
Kadan Allen added another win in the 800 meters with a 1:52.97, which ranks No. 64 in the NCAA. Dylyn Cooks grabbed the win in the triple jump with a career-best 14.29 meters, putting him at No. 54 in the country.
Other top performances include:
— Isley Gutierrez’s second-place finish in the 60 hurdles final
— SUU’s second- and third-place rankings in the 4×400 meter relay
— Freshmen Divin Kalanga and Ace Brown’s third- and fourth-place finishes in the long jump
— Freshman Colton Sam Fong’s fifth-place finish in the shot put
— Freshman Marcos Diaz-Rodriguez’s fifth-place ranking in the 60 meters preliminaries
Women’s results
While standout jumper Hughes didn’t appear in this meet, SUU’s talent was able to contribute great performances in her absence. Sophomore Chloe Bingham placed second in the high jump, one of Hughes’ main events, with a 1.67 meter leap. She was just one of many underclassmen to turn in a high-ranking score in this meet.
Freshman Chayanne Gordon also cashed in a second-place finish in the shot put with a 12.57 meter throw. Southern Utah dominated the rankings for the 800 meters and 4×400 relay, placing No. 3-5 in the first and No. 2-4 in the second.
Other top performances include:
— Sophomore Sabrina Wright’s fifth-place finish in the 400 meters with a career-high time
— Iana-Michovani Graham’s fourth-place ranking in the 60 hurdles
— Freshman Timmia Rucks’ fifth-place finish in the long jump
— Freshman Carly Trujillo’s fourth-place finish in the shot put
— Sophomore Kiara Hansen’s fourth-place ranking in the weight throw
What’s next?
Both teams will return for the Northern Arizona University-hosted Ron Mann Classic on Friday, Jan. 30 before heading to the University of Washington Invite on Jan. 30 and 31.
Author: Payson Davis
Photographer: SUU Athletics
Editor: Heather Turner
