LUBBOCK – After a strong start to the indoor season last week, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) track & field team now heads to Lubbock to compete in the Texas Tech Open & Multis Friday and Saturday at the Sports Performance Center.
The meet will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. Action begins with field events at 3 p.m. Friday, followed by the start of running events at 4 p.m. On Saturday, field events begin at 10 a.m. and running events commence at 11:30 a.m. Some of the top ranked men's and women's programs, including host Texas Tech, Texas, Auburn, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, and Oklahoma, will be competing, along with conference and regional foes UT Arlington, Stephen F. Austin, North Texas and others.
UTRGV earned eight top-five finishes and made 10 entries into the program record books at the season debut in Houston last weekend. The Vaqueros are chomping at the bit to keep the momentum rolling and see how they compete against some of the premiere programs in the country.
"Our team is made up of a lot of freshmen, so it was their first collegiate experience and first indoor experience. I was very pleased with them and the performance of the team. It's what we call a 'rust buster,'" UTRGV assistant coach (throws)
Cleo Borel said. "There will be a lot of great programs at the Texas Tech Open, so we're looking for our team to step up a little and perform a little better than they did last weekend. We want our young student-athletes to see those really, really good athletes and aspire to one day be at that level."
UTRGV earned eight top-five finishes and made 10 entries into the program record books at the season debut in Houston last Friday. Among the headliners of the strong outing were graduate student sprinter
Jada Hoffman, graduate student thrower
Marlene Gutierrez, redshirt junior sprinter
Yashawn Hamilton, junior hurdler
Uxia Pereira, and freshmen jumpers
Jedidiah Udunna and
Rayja'nae Pettit.
The two-day Texas Tech open will see some Vaqueros add events to their programs. UTRGV will be represented in the 600- and 800-meter runs for the first time and by a plethora of sprinters showing off their Valley speed.
The Vaqueros focused on fine-tuning techniques in all event groups ahead of this weekend's meet. Borel said the message to the team ahead of this marquee meet is to stay committed to the journey and to build as they compete.
"This week was a short week of practice and there was a lot of technical work," Borel said. "We're on a journey. We're looking at the indoor season, the outdoor season, the whole year and also the next four years as a journey, so each day, each meet we're looking at getting a little bit better and ensuring that we continue to progress."
Meet Schedule
Friday
Women's weight throw, 3 p.m. (Section A followed by Section B)
Marlene Gutierrez
Women's 60-meter hurdles prelims, 4 p.m.
Symoria Adkins
Ashley Lingueno
Uxia Pereira
Men's 60-meter hurdles prelims, 4:15 p.m.
Jaylen Critton
Alex Galvan
Women's 60-meter dash prelims, 4:35 p.m.
Yaria Akers
Nayla Harris
Jada Hoffman
Denae McElrath
Men's 60-meter dash prelims, 4:55 p.m.
Yashawn Hamilton
Jalen Nero
Jaleel Scott
Jermarrion Stewart
Jedidiah Udunna
Women's long jump, 5 p.m.
Tolu Odetola
Rayja'nae Pettit
Jalyn Williams
Men's long jump, 5 p.m.
Orlando Martinez
Jedidiah Udunna
Women's 600-meter run, 5:15 p.m.
Ana Hernandez
Ashley Lingueno
Estrella Medellin
Men's 600-meter run, 5:25 p.m.
Alex Canales
Tristan Pena
Sebastian Salinas
Women's 60-meter hurdles semifinals, 6:05 p.m.
TBD
Men's 60-meter hurdles semifinals, 6:15 p.m.
TBD
Women's 60-meter dash semifinals, 6:25 p.m.
TBD
Men's 60-meter dash semifinals, 6:35 p.m.
TBD
Women's 400-meter dash, 6:45 p.m.
Aliyah Castillo
Aisha Gay
Ja'Nyla Tucker
Jalyn Williams
Men's 400-meter dash, 7:20 p.m.
Jaqualand Fields
Jamari Harts
Derrius Henry
Sam Johnson II
Women's 60-meter hurdles finals, 7:45 p.m.
TBD
Men's 60-meter hurdles finals, 7:50 p.m.
TBD
Women's 60-meter dash finals, 7:55 p.m.
TBD
Men's 60-meter dash finals, 8 p.m.
TBD
Saturday
Women's shot put – 10 a.m.
Marlene Gutierrez
Women's 200-meter dash – Group B, 11:30 a.m.; Group A, 1:40 p.m.
Symoria Adkins
Yaria Akers
Aliyah Castillo
Aisha Gay
Nayla Harris
Jada Hoffman
Denae McElrath
Uxia Pereira
Ja'Nyla Tucker
Jalyn Williams
Men's 200-meter dash – Group B, 12 p.m.; Group A, 2:10 p.m.
Jaylen Critton
Alex Galvan
Jaqualand Fields
Yashawn Hamilton
Jamari Harts
Derrius Henry
Sam Johnson II
Jalen Nero
Jaleel Scott
Jermarrion Stewart
Women's high jump, 12 p.m.
Penelope Alanis
Ashley Lingueno
Men's high jump, 12 p.m.
Noel Asiedu
Orlando Martinez
Women's 800-meter run, 12:30 p.m.
Estrella Medellin
Women's mile, 1:10 p.m.
Faith Cruz
Janie Delgado
Samantha Gonzalez
Ana Hernandez
Men's mile, 1:25 p.m.
Alex Canales
Abraham Morales
Tristan Pena
Sebastian Salinas
Women's triple jump, 1:30 p.m.
Tolu Odetola
Rayja'nae Pettit
Men's triple jump, 1:30 p.m.
Marco Guajardo
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