LUBBOCK – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros indoor track & field team is heading back to Lubbock this weekend to compete in the Jarvis Scott Open at Texas Tech's Sports Performance Center. 
 
The two-day meet begins Friday at 3 p.m. with field events followed by running events at 5 p.m. On Saturday, field events begin at 10 a.m. and running events will commence at 11 a.m. Fans can watch the meet on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. 
 
"We had a good fall and so far we've had a pretty good indoor season, so we're mostly working on the small things, correcting some mistakes that we may have seen in the last couple of meets and just trying to fine-tune those things going into the next two meets," assistant distance coach Travis Pope said. "It's a whole new team this year and they're really coming together. They get along really well, work really well and train really well together, and it shows on the track. We hope to see some more times drop and big marks this weekend and to continue that going forward." 
 
This will be the final tune-up meet for the Vaqueros before the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Indoor Championships in Spokane, Wash. Feb. 24-25. UTRGV performed well two weeks ago in Lubbock, highlighted by freshman Symoria Adkins setting a new program record in the women's 60-meter hurdles. 
 
Junior hurdler Uxia Pereira and graduate students thrower Marlene Gutierrez and sprinter Jada Hoffman have been among the top performers on the women's roster through the indoor season. Pope expects his distance crew, led by senior Edinburg North alum Tristan Pena and junior Samantha Gonzalez to have another good meet. He said Pena and freshman McAllen Memorial alum Sebastian Salinas "have been looking strong every single meet" so far and look prepped to continue their momentum this weekend. 
 
The Jarvis Scott Open will feature some stiff competition, including WAC foes Abilene Christian and Tarleton. Seven Vaqueros are currently in scoring positions on the WAC performance list. The student-athletes have put in two good weeks of training since their last meet and are ready to get back on the competition surface and showcase their abilities. 
 
"It's an opportunity for our student-athletes to get some good marks and times and try to get into the flights and heats they want going into the big meet," Pope said. "We're looking at getting one more good competition in before we focus on conference in two weeks." 
 
Udunna Set To Compete at Arkansas' Tyson Invitational
UTRGV freshman Jedidiah Udunna will be traveling to Fayetteville, Ark. with assistant jumps/combined coach Mike Embry to compete at Arkansas' Tyson Invitational at the Randal Tyson Indoor Track on Feb. 10.  
 
Udunna will participate in the men's long jump at 2:30 p.m. and in the 60-meter dash starting with the qualifying round at 3 p.m. The top eight times will advance to the preliminary round to compete against eight automatic qualifiers, and the top eight times from those heats will move on to finals. The meet will be live streamed through SEC Network+. 
 
Udunna owns the second-best indoor long jump mark in UTRGV program history and is ranked No. 5 in the WAC. He's aiming to hit another massive mark at the loaded meet featuring student-athletes from No. 1 Arkansas, No. 5 Nebraska, No. 8 Oklahoma State, No. 15 Florida, No. 16 Iowa, No. 23 Ole Miss, LSU and other major programs. 
 
"This is a major opportunity to compete against seven of the top 15 long jumpers in the NCAA. Jed has the physical ability to be ranked just as high as his competitors. He is well on his way to learning how to be consistent with his technical work, preparation and performances," Embry said. "This will be a chance to qualify for NCAA Indoor Championships and measure himself against athletes that will be at both indoor and outdoor track & field championships." 
 
Meet Schedule 
Friday 
Women's weight throw – Section A, 3 p.m.; Section B to follow 
Marlene Gutierrez 
Hannah Hilding 
Zoe Vlk 
 
Men's long jump – Section A, 4:30 p.m.; Section B 6:30 p.m. 
Orlando Martinez 
 
Women's long jump – Section A, 4:30 p.m.; Section B 6:30 p.m. 
Nayla Harris 
Ashley Lingueno 
Tolu Odetola 
Rayja'nae Pettit 
Jalyn Williams 
 
Women's 60-meter hurdles prelims, 5 p.m. 
Uxia Pereira 
Ashley Lingueno 
 
Men's 60-meter hurdles prelims, 5:15 p.m. 
Jaylen Critton 
Alex Galvan 
 
Women's 60-meter dash prelims, 5:30 p.m. 
Yaria Akers 
Nayla Harris 
Jada Hoffman 
Denae McElrath 
Daniella Muniz 
 
Men's 60-meter dash prelims, 5:50 p.m. 
Yashawn Hamilton 
Jalen Nero 
Jaleel Scott 
Jermarrion Stewart 
 
Women's 800-meter run, 6:10 p.m. 
Estrella Medellin 
 
Men's 800-meter run, 6:35 p.m. 
Alex Canales 
Abraham Morales 
Tristan Pena 
Sebastian Salinas 
 
Women's 60-meter hurdle semifinals, 7 p.m. 
TBD 
 
Men's 60-meter hurdle semifinals, 7:10 p.m. 
TBD 
 
Women's 60-meter dash semifinals, 7:20 p.m. 
TBD 
 
Men's 60-meter dash semifinals, 7:30 p.m. 
TBD 
 
Women's 400-meter dash, 7:40 p.m. 
Lani Brewer 
Aliyah Castillo 
Aisha Gay 
Ashley Lingueno 
Ja'Nyla Tucker 
Jalyn Williams 
 
Men's 400-meter dash, 8:10 p.m. 
Jaylen Critton 
Jaqualand Fields 
Alex Galvan 
Derrius Henry 
Sam Johnson II 
 
Women's 60-meter hurdles finals, 8:45 p.m. 
TBD 
 
Men's 60-meter hurdles finals, 8:50 p.m. 
TBD 
 
Women's 60-meter dash finals, 8:55 p.m. 
TBD 
 
Men's 60-meter dash finals, 9 p.m. 
TBD 
 
Saturday 
Women's shot put – Section B, 10 a.m.; Section A, 1:30 p.m. 
Marlene Gutierrez 
Hannah Hilding 
Zoe Vlk 
 
Women's triple jump, 11 a.m. 
Tolu Odetola 
Rayja'nae Pettit 
 
Men's triple jump, 11 a.m. 
Marco Guajardo 
 
Women's 200-meter dash – Section B, 11 a.m.; Section A, 1:45 p.m. 
Yaria Akers 
Lani Brewer 
Aisha Gay 
Nayla Harris
Jada Hoffman 
Denae McElrath 
Daniella Muniz 
Uxia Pereira 
Jalyn Williams 
 
Men's 200-meter dash – Section B, 11:25 a.m.; Section A, 2:15 p.m. 
Yashawn Hamilton 
Jalen Nero 
Jaleel Scott 
Jermarrion Stewart 
 
Women's 600-meter run, 12:20 p.m. 
Estrella Medellin 
 
Men's 600-meter run, 12:35 p.m. 
Jaylen Critton 
Alex Galvan 
 
Women's mile, 12:55 p.m. 
Samantha Gonzalez 
Ana Hernandez 
 
Women's high jump, 1 p.m. 
Penny Alanis 
 
Men's high jump, 1 p.m. 
Noel Asiedu 
Orlando Martinez 
 
Men's mile, 1:20 p.m. 
Alex Canales 
Abraham Morales 
Tristan Pena 
Sebastian Salinas 
 
Women's 3,000-meter run, 2:45 p.m. 
Faith Cruz 
Janie Delgado 
 
Women's 4x400-meter relay, 3:20 p.m. 
Lani Brewer, Aliyah Castillo, Aisha Gay, Jada Hoffman, Ashley Lingueno, Estrella Medellin, Daniella Muniz, Uxia Pereira, Ja'Nyla Tucker, Jalyn Williams 
 
Men's 4x400-meter relay, 4 p.m. 
Jaylen Critton, Jaqualand Fields, Alex Galvan, Derrius Henry, Sam Johnson II, Jermarrion Stewart 

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