HOUSTON – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros track & field program had another strong meet Saturday in the final non-conference tune-up at Rice's J. Fred Duckett Twilight, capturing eight event wins and 13 personal bests. 
 
Additionally, both the men's and women's teams swept the South Texas Showdown, presented by Rally Credit Union, against the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders. UTRGV's men outscored the Islanders 81-41, while the women's team defeated AMCC 94-45. 
 
The women's team dominated the track, collecting four event wins. UTRGV's 4x100-meter relay team of sophomore Nayla Harris, junior Zoë Adams, senior Yaria Akers and sophomore Symoria Adkins ran a program record time of 44.99 to win the event. 
 
In the 400-meter dash, Adams ran the first sub-54 of her career, winning the event in 53.66 to take the No. 5 spot in program history. Adkins won the 100-meter hurdles in 13.86 to take the No. 8 spot in program history. Junior Samantha Gonzalez won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 10:56.70, taking the No. 5 spot in program history. 
 
Freshman James Voss notched his fourth top-10 performance in the men's 110-meter hurdles as he finished second in 14.40, taking the No. 3 spot in the record books. In the men's 400-meter hurdles, sophomore Jaylen Critton was third in 53.02. 
 
Freshman Kailey Salazar made the first entry into the women's 800-meter top-10 since 2021, taking the No. 4 spot, as she ran a personal-best 2:10.81 to finish third in the event. Senior Brownsville Porter alum Estrella Medellin added a personal record in the women's 1,500-meter run as she finished sixth. Akers tabbed a personal-best 11.88 to take fourth the 100-meter dash.


UTRGV's throws squad continued its strong season in Houston. Sophomore Hannah Hilding won the women's discus with a throw of 47.70 meters and tabbed a personal best in a second-place finish in women's hammer throw, marking 57.55 meters to make her first entry into the program record books with the ninth-best throw. Graduate student Julian Trevino launched a personal-best 57.73 meters to take fourth in men's javelin, also rising to No. 3 in program history. 
 
In the women's shot put, the dynamic duo of Hilding and freshman Omolola Kuponiyi both hit personal bests. Kuponiyi finished second with a mark of 15.25 meters and Hilding followed in fourth with a toss of 14.80 meters. Freshman McAllen High alum Adelaide Fleischmann recorded a personal best as she finished third in women's discus with a mark of 46.08 meters. 
 
The jumpers were not to be outdone. Sophomore Jedidiah Udunna won the men's long jump with a mark of 7.81 meters, the No. 2 jump in program history. He now owns the eight-best jumps and nine of the top-10 in the record books. Sophomore Rayja'nae Pettit took second in the women's long jump, while sophomore Tolu Odetola tabbed a personal-best as UTRGV placed three in the top-10. 
 
Sophomore Aaron Cooper took second and graduate student Gabrielle Thomas was fourth in the men's and women's triple jumps, respectively. 
 
The Vaqueros found success during the afternoon session of track events. Senior Jaleel Scott won the early race of the men's 100-meter dash and Critton hit a PB. Sophomore Brownsville Hanna alum Aliyah Castillo was third in the early women's 400-meter dash. In the men's 200-meter dash in the early session, freshman Weslaco East alum Gael Romo took fifth with a personal best time. 
 
The men's 4x100-meter relay team of Scott, Romo, junior Jalen Nero and sophomore Jamari Harts won the event in 41.17. 
 
Rounding out the day was sophomore PSJA High alum Faith Cruz taking fourth with a personal-best time of 18:01.67 in the women's 5,000-meter run. 
 
Up next for the Vaqueros is the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Outdoor Championships hosted by Utah Valley in Orem, Utah running May 9-11. 
 
UTRGV Results
Field Events 
Women's hammer
2. Hannah Hilding, 57.55m 
· 9^th in program history 
 
Men's javelin
4. Julian Trevino, 57.73m 
· 3^rd in program history 
 
Women's long jump
2. Rayja'nae Pettit, 5.72m
5. Jordyn Tiggs, 5.53m
7. Tolu Odetola, 5.45m 
11. Aja Johnson, 5.29m 
 
Women's triple jump
4. Gabrielle Thomas, 12.23m 
 
Men's long jump
1. Jedidiah Udunna, 7.81m
· 2^nd in program history 
6. Kevin Washington, 7.01m 
 
Men's triple jump
2. Aaron Cooper, 14.49m
8. Hebrew Hunter, 13.71m 
 
Women's discus
1. Hannah Hilding, 47.70m
3. Adelaide Fleischmann, 46.08m
18. Omolola Kuponiyi, 27.65m
 
Women's shot put
2. Omolola Kuponiyi, 15.25m 
4. Hannah Hilding, 14.80m 
 
Track Events, Afternoon Session
Men's 100-meter dash 
1. Jaleel Scott, 10.98
3. Jalen Nero, 11.08 
13. Jaylen Critton, 11.29
14. Jaqualand Fields, 11.32
28. James Voss, 11.48 
 
Women's 400-meter hurdles
5. Kalissa Cavazos, 1:07.14
 
Women's 400-meter dash
3. Aliyah Castillo, 57.57
 
Men's 200-meter dash
5. Gael Romo, 21.82
12. Jaleel Scott, 22.14
 
Track Events, Evening Session
Women's 4x100-meter relay
1. Nayla Harris, Zoë Adams, Yaria Akers, Symoria Adkins, 44.99
· Program Record
 
Men's 4x100-meter relay
1. Jaleel Scott, Gael Romo, Jalen Nero, Jamari Harts, 41.17 
 
Men's 400-meter hurdles
3. Jaylen Critton, 53.02 
10. Jaqualand Fields, 56.55
11. Daniel Siaffa, 56.55
 
Women's 400-meter dash 
1. Zoë Adams, 53.66
· 5^th in program history 
9. Trinity Kirk, 56.28  
13. P'soularia Maxey, 57.17 
 
Men's 400-meter dash
4. Derrius Henry, 48.04
6. Sam Johnson II, 48.74 
 
Women's 100-meter dash
4. Yaria Akers, 11.88 
5. Nayla Harris, 12.04
 
Men's 100-meter dash
6. Gael Romo, 10.65 
 
Women's 100-meter hurdles
1. Symoria Adkins, 13.86 
· 8^th in program history 
 
Men's 110-meter hurdles
2. James Voss, 14.40  
· 3^rd in program history 
 
Women's 800-meter run
3. Kailey Salazar, 2:10.81 
· 4^th in program history 
 
Women's 200-meter dash
5. Yaria Akers, 24.79  
11. Zoë Adams, 25.65 
 
Men's 200-meter dash
4. Jalen Nero, 21.73 
9. Sam Johnson II, 22.32 
 
Women's 3,000-meter steeplechase 
1. Samantha Gonzalez, 10:56.70
· 5^th in program history 
 
Women's 1,500-meter run
6. Estrella Medellin, 4:41.98
 
Men's 1,500-meter run
15. Abraham Morales, 3:59.01
 
Men's 5,000-meter run
17. Ricardo Garcia, 15:16.99
 
Women's 5,000-meter run
4. Faith Cruz, 18:01.67 

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