NACOGDOCHES – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros outdoor track & field program earned medals in five events and set five program records Saturday to close the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Championships at Homer Bryce Stadium on a high note.
Despite a two-hour long lightning delay midway through the running finals, the Vaqueros were focused and ready to compete when they stepped back onto the track. The 400-meter dash runners were stellar to get the action restarted, all running their personal best races when it mattered most.
In the men's 400 dash, freshman
Sam Johnson II came on strong in the final 100 meters to go from fifth off the curve to earning the bronze medal at the finish line, setting a new program record in 46.25. Freshman
Jamari Harts ran 46.61, the third-best time in program history, to finish seventh, and junior
Jermarrion Stewart ran the program's fourth-best time of 46.76 to finish eighth.
Junior
Aisha Gay turned on the jets in the final 200 meters of the women's 400-meter dash to snag the bronze medal and set a new program record, clocking in at 53.30.
UTRGV's men's 400 group ranked 45
th in the nation heading into the WAC meet, and their skill was on full display in the final event of the conference championship. Freshman
Jaqualand Fields, Harts, Stewart and Johnson II ran a thrilling 4x400-meter relay, earning the silver medal with a program record time of 3:08.36.
Adkins and Gay shined in the women's 200-meter dash, capping incredible meets for both Vaqueros. Adkins blazed to a silver medal, setting a new program record in 23.59. Gay ran her first sub-24 of the season to take sixth in 23.96, tying the seventh-best time in program history.
Prior to the rain delay, Adkins ran a great race to finish fifth in the competitive women's 100-meter hurdles final, lowering her personal record time to 13.62, the second-best time in program history.
Freshman
Jaylen Critton tabbed UTRGV's third bronze medal of the day with a personal best performance in the men's 400-meter hurdles. He was the eighth qualifier to the final but ran extremely well in the outside lane to move all the way up to third in 53.54, finishing a hair behind second place.
Gay, graduate student
Jada Hoffman, junior
Yaria Akers and Adkins broke their own program record in the women's 4x100-meter relay, running 45.40 to finish fourth. That foursome now owns the three fastest times in program history.
The men's 4x100-meter relay team of redshirt sophomore
Jaleel Scott, senior
Yashawn Hamilton, Stewart and Johnson ran 40.76 to finish sixth. That's the sixth fastest race in program history.
UTRGV's field event student-athletes had a good day, too. Freshman
Hannah Hilding earned a fourth-place finish in the women's discus. She delivered a big throw on her last attempt to rise up three spots. UTRGV's women's throws squad accounted for 20 points. Junior
Zoe Vlk and freshman PSJA Southwest alum
Ana Rodriguez both notched new personal bests in the discus.
Freshman
Aaron Cooper scored in the men's long jump, marking 14.52 meters to finish seventh with the 10
th best jump in program history. Junior PSJA High alum
Marco Guajardo notched an outdoor PR of 14.16 meters and finished 10
th.
Freshman
Abraham Morales notched one of UTRGV's 12 personal bests as he finished 19
th in the men's 5,000-meter run, which saw over 50 student-athletes at the starting line.
UTRGV's women finished seventh in the team standings with 56 points. New Mexico State (136) won the women's team title, followed by Stephen F. Austin (113) and Grand Canyon (98).
UTRGV's men finished eighth in the team standings with 37 points. Grand Canyon (162.50) won the men's team title, followed by Southern Utah (129) and Utah Valley (102).
Next up will be the regional NCAA West Preliminary May 24-27 in Sacramento for qualifying student-athletes.
Team Standings
Women
Rk Team Points
| 1. |
New Mexico State |
136 |
| 2. |
Stephen F. Austin |
113 |
| 3. |
Grand Canyon |
98 |
| 4. |
Utah Valley |
84.50 |
| 5. |
UT Arlington |
79 |
| 6. |
Abilene Christian |
68 |
| 7. |
UTRGV |
56 |
| 8. |
Southern Utah |
51 |
| 9. |
Sam Houston |
50 |
| 10. |
California Baptist |
48 |
| 11. |
Tarleton |
27.50 |
| 12. |
Utah Tech |
5 |
| 13. |
Seattle U |
3 |
Men
Rk Team Points
| 1. |
Grand Canyon |
162.50 |
| 2. |
Southern Utah |
129 |
| 3. |
Utah Valley |
102 |
| 4. |
Stephen F. Austin |
87 |
| 5. |
Abilene Christian |
83 |
| 6. |
UT Arlington |
79 |
| 7. |
Tarleton |
77 |
| 8. |
UTRGV |
37 |
| 9. |
California Baptist |
31 |
| 10. |
Sam Houston |
27.50 |
| 11. |
Seattle U |
2 |
UTRGV Saturday Results
Women's discus
4.
Hannah Hilding, 48.11m
12.
Zoe Vlk, 44.36m
17.
Ana Rodriguez, 38.57m
Men's triple jump
7.
Aaron Cooper, 14.52m
• 10
th best in program history
10.
Marco Guajardo, 14.16m
Women's triple jump
13.
Rayja'nae Pettit, 11.55m
Men's 4x100-meter relay
6.
Jaleel Scott,
Yashawn Hamilton,
Jermarrion Stewart,
Sam Johnson II, 40.76
• 6
th fastest in program history
Women's 4x100-meter relay
4.
Aisha Gay,
Jada Hoffman,
Yaria Akers,
Symoria Adkins, 45.40
• Program Record
Men's 1,500-meter final
11.
Tristan Pena, 3:54.36
Women's 100-meter hurdles final
5.
Symoria Adkins, 13.62
• 2
nd fastest in program history
Men's 400-meter dash final
3.
Sam Johnson II, 46.25
• Program Record
7.
Jamari Harts, 46.61
• 3
rd fastest in program history
8.
Jermarrion Stewart, 46.76
• 4
th fastest in program history
Women's 400-meter dash final
3.
Aisha Gay, 53.30
• Program Record
Men's 400-meter hurdles final
3.
Jaylen Critton, 53.54
Women's 200-meter dash final
2.
Symoria Adkins, 23.59
• Program Record
6.
Aisha Gay, 23.96
• T-7
th fastest in program history
Men's 5,000-meter run
19.
Abraham Morales, 15:08.67
25.
Ricardo Garcia, 15:27.72
Women's 5,000-meter run
36.
Faith Cruz, 18:57.91
Men's 4x400-meter relay
2.
Jaqualand Fields,
Jamari Harts,
Jermarrion Stewart,
Sam Johnson II, 3:08.36
• Program Record
Women's 4x400-meter relay
9.
Ashley Lingueno,
Aliyah Castillo,
Lani Brewer,
Uxia Pereira, 3:51.52
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