HOUSTON – Junior Hannah Hilding won The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's (UTRGV) first Southland Conference (SLC) outdoor championship Thursday as she claimed gold in women's hammer throw at Rice's Wendel D. Ley Track & Holloway Field. 
 
Hilding went into the meet ranked No. 1 in the event and came through to defend her spot, throwing 56.76 meters in the victory. Senior Efe Latham followed in fourth with a mark of 51.42 meters to put crucial points on the board for the Vaqueros. 
 
On the track, UTRGV punched six tickets to finals. The headlining event was the women's 200-meter dash in which the Vaqueros went 3-for-3 with runners advancing to Saturday's race. Freshman Jizzale Davis led the pack with a personal-best race, qualifying with the No. 2 time of 23.53. Senior Zoë Adams and junior Nayla Harris took seventh and eighth in the preliminary race with season- and personal-best times of 24.23 and 24.25, respectively. Davis's performance was the second-fastest outdoor 200 in program history. 
 
Another fresham to shine was Krystan Bright, who advanced to finals as the No. 6 time qualifier in the women's 400-meter hurdles. In the men's 400 hurdles, senior Daniel Siaffa secured his spot in the medal race with the No. 5 time in the field and the No. 8 time in program history. Junior Weslaco High alum Kalissa Cavazos ran a personal best in the women's race. 
 
Junior Corin Burns qualified for finals in the men's 200-meter dash with the No. 3 time of 20.96, which is the fourth-fastest race in program history. Freshman Richard Young narrowly missed advancing as he took eighth. Sophomore Brownsville Hanna alum Alejandro Arellano, sophomore Weslaco East alum Gael Romo and junior Jamari Harts were 16^th, 19^th and 21^st, respectively, and Romo tabbed a personal best. 
 
Junior PSJA High alum Faith Cruz clocked a personal best in the women's 10,000-meter run to finish 11^th. Junior Abraham Morales was 20^th in the preliminary round of the men's 1,500-meter run. 
 
The meet continues Friday. The Vaqueros will get underway at 3 p.m. with field events and at 5:15 p.m. on the track. UTRGV totaled five personal bests during a strong first day of competition. 
 
UTRGV THURSDAY RESULTS
Field Events
Women's hammer throw 
1. Hannah Hilding, 56.78m 
4. Efe Latham, 51.42m 
 
Track Events 
Men's 1,500-meter run prelims 
20. Abraham Morales, 4:02.40 
 
Women's 400-meter hurdles prelims
6. Krystan Bright, 1:02.39 (advanced to finals) 
14. Kalissa Cavazos, 1:06.73 
 
Men's 400-meter hurdles prelims 
5. Daniel Siaffa, 52.16 (advanced to finals) 
· 8^th in program history 
 
Women's 200-meter dash prelims 
2. Jizzale Davis, 23.53 (advanced to finals)
· 2^nd in program history 
7. Zoë Adams, 24.23 (advanced to finals)
8. Nayla Harris, 24.25 (advanced to finals)
 
Men's 200-meter dash prelims 
3. Corin Burns, 20.96 (advanced to finals)
· 4^th in program history 
9. Richard Young, 21.33
16. Alejandro Arellano, 21.50
19. Gael Romo, 21.60
21. Jamari Harts, 21.66
 
Women's 10,000-meter run 
11. Faith Cruz, 38.42.26 
 
UTRGV FRIDAY SCHEDULE
Field Events 
Men's long jump, 3 p.m. 
Keamonie Archie (F2) 
 
Women's javelin, 4 p.m. 
Efe Latham (F1) 
Hannah Hilding (F1) 
 
Women's shot put, 6 p.m. 
Efe Latham (F2) 
Hannah Hilding (F2) 
 
Women's long jump, 6 p.m. 
Kailah Gilmore (F2) 
 
Track Events 
Women's 100-meter hurdles prelims, 5:15 p.m. 
Trezur Connley (H1) 
Krystan Bright (H3) 
 
Men's 110-meter hurdles prelims, 5:30 p.m. 
Jaylen Critton (H3) 
 
Women's 400-meter dash prelims, 5:45 p.m. 
Aliyah Castillo (H1) 
Trinity Kirk (H2) 
Zoë Adams (H3) 
 
Men's 400-meter dash prelims, 6 p.m. 
Alejandro Arellano (H1) 
Jamari Harts (H3) 
Derrius Henry (H3) 
 
Women's 100-meter dash prelims, 6:15 p.m. 
Jizzale Davis (H3) 
Nayla Harris (H3) 
 
Men's 100-meter dash prelims, 6:30 p.m. 
Corin Burns (H1) 
Keamonie Archie (H3) 
Richard Young (H3) 
Gael Romo (H4) 
 
Women's 800-meter run prelims, 6:45 p.m. 
Lilliana Guerrero (H2) 
Mia Picazo (H3) 
Kailey Salazar (H3) 
 
Men's 800-meter run prelims, 7 p.m. 
Mario Cantarero (H3) 
Diego Pina (H3) 
Abraham Morales (H4) 
 
Women's 3,000-meter steeplechase, 7:40 p.m. 
Samantha Gonzalez 
 
UTRGV SATURDAY SCHEDULE
Field Events 
Women's discus, 3 p.m. 
Hannah Hilding (F2) 
 
Women's triple jump, 3 p.m. 
Tolu Odetola (F2) 
La'Zariah Bethany (F2) 
 
Men's triple jump, 6 p.m. 
Hebrew Hunter (F2) 
Aaron Cooper (F2) 
 
Women's high jump, 6 p.m. 
Achol Maywin 
 
Track Events (all finals) 
Women's 4x100-meter relay, 5 p.m. 
Krystan Bright, Jizzale Davis, Zoë Adams, Nayla Harris, Aliyah Castillo (H2) 
 
Men's 4x100-meter relay, 5:10 p.m. 
Gael Romo, Jamari Harts, Richard Young, Corin Burns, Alejandro Arellano (H2) 
 
Women's 100-meter hurdles, 5:40 p.m. 
TBD
 
Men's 110-meter hurdles, 5:50 p.m. 
TBD
 
Women's 400-meter dash, 6 p.m. 
TBD
 
Men's 400-meter dash, 6:10 p.m. 
TBD
 
Women's 100-meter dash, 6:20 p.m. 
TBD
 
Men's 100-meter dash, 6:30 p.m. 
TBD
 
Women's 800-meter run, 6:40 p.m. 
TBD
 
Men's 800-meter run, 6:50 p.m. 
TBD
 
Women's 400-meter hurdles, 7 p.m. 
Krystan Bright 
 
Men's 400-meter hurdles, 7:10 p.m. 
Daniel Siaffa 
 
Women's 200-meter dash, 7:20 p.m. 
Jizzale Davis 
Zoë Adams
Nayla Harris 
 
Men's 200-meter dash, 7:30 p.m. 
Corin Burns 
 
Women's 5,000-meter run, 7:40 p.m. 
Faith Cruz 
Samantha Gonzalez 
 
Women's 4x400-meter relay, 8:25 p.m. 
Aliyah Castillo, Trinity Kirk, Zoë Adams, Jizzale Davis, Krystan Bright, Kailey Salazar (H2) 
 
Men's 4x400-meter relay, 8:40 p.m. 
Corin Burns, Alejandro Arellano, Daniel Siaffa, Derrius Henry, Jaylen Critton, Jamari Harts, Gael Romo (H2) 

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