FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's outdoor track & field team tabbed three record book times as they got underway for Day 1 of women's action Thursday in the NCAA West First Round at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Arkansas. 
 
The Vaqueros were chasing top 24 finishes to punch tickets to the running event quarterfinals and a top 12 finish in the field to secure a trip to the national championship meet. 
 
Senior Efe Latham had to fight through adversity in the women's shot put and ended the day as UTRGV's top finisher. Midday rain left the surfaces a little slick, and Latham slipped during a turn on her first attempt, sending the shot put wide of the target area. She fouled on her second attempt. 
 
In field events at the first round meets, competitors get just three attempts to keep their seasons alive. Latham delivered with a clean throw on her third and final attempt, marking 15.12 meters. She finished 28^th, improving her finish at the NCAA West meet by six spots compared to last year. 
 
Senior Kaliyah Poston capped the night with a strong performance in the women's 200-meter dash first round. Running wide in Lane 9, Poston got out of the blocks fast and was among the leaders off the curve. She clocked in at 23.66 to finish 29^th. 
 
Freshman Dior Williams took fourth in her heat of the women's 100-meter hurdles, missing the automatic bid to quarterfinals by one spot. The Southland Conference silver medalist ran 13.52 and finished 32^nd. 
 
Junior Treasure Vallerie had a strong performance in the 400-meter dash, using a quick start to run 53.41, the No. 3 time in program history, as she finished 36^th. 
 
Junior N Vanee Anchike and sophomore Jizzale Davis both competed in two events Thursday. Anchike was 34^th in the women's 800-meter run with a time of 2:07.43, which is the fifth-fastest race in program history. Anchike was 44^th in the 1,500-meter run as she clocked the seventh-best time in program history of 4:32.70. Davis was 46^th in the women's 200-meter dash in 24.36 and 47^th in the women's 100-meter dash in 12.03.
 
The women's team will compete in one more event as redshirt junior Ashley Lingueno, Davis, Williams and Poston run the 4x100-meter relay Saturday at 5 p.m. The men's team will be back in action Friday as freshman Antwoine Warren takes on the high jump semifinals scheduled to start at 2 p.m. Warren will be in the second of two flights. 
 
UTRGV THURSDAY RESULTS
Women's 100-meter hurdles first round
32. Dior Williams, 13.52 
 
Women's 1,500-meter run first round 
44. N Vanee Anchike, 4:32.70 
· 7^th in program history 
 
Women's shot put first round
28. Efe Latham, 15.12m 
 
Women's 100-meter dash first round 
47. Jizzale Davis, 12.03 
 
Women's 400-meter dash first round
36. Treasure Vallerie, 53.41 
· 3^rd in program history 
 
Women's 800-meter run first round 
34. N Vanee Anchike, 2:07.43 
· 5^th in program history 
 
Women's 200-meter dash first round 
29. Kaliyah Poston, 23.66
46. Jizzale Davis, 24.36 
 
UTRGV SCHEDULE
Friday
Men's high jump semifinals, 2 p.m. 
Antwoine Warren 
 
Saturday
Women's 4x100-meter relay quarterfinals, 5 p.m. 
Ashley Lingueno, Jizzale Davis, Dior Williams, Kaliyah Poston 

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