Top finishes highlight final tune-up for Kats
4/24/2016 1:12:00 AM | Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
The Sam Houston State men's and women's track and field programs took part in the final tune-up before the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships, notching several top performances at the Ron & Carolyn Yokubaitis Invitational, hosted by the University of Houston.
The Saturday event, which took place at the Tom Tellez Track, saw the Sam Houston men capture a pair of first-place finishes and the women collect an additional nine top spots.
On the men's side, Garrett Larson posted a top finish in the pole vault at 17 feet, 4 ½ inches while Anthony Garcia did so in the javelin at 200 feet, 6 inches.
For the women, Ruth Amaku earned a first-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles (59.72) as did Ashley Thompson, who set a new personal best in the pole vault at 13 feet, 2 ½ inches. In the hammer, Ashley Jenkins continued her tremendous season with a toss of 201 feet, 10 inches.
The Kats also led the charge in the javelin throw with Elizabeth Lyssy's throw of 141 feet, 5 inches while Paula Smith topped all competitors in the long jump at 18 feet, 9 inches. Danielle Demas earned her fifth top finish of the outdoor campaign, doing so in the 100-meter hurdles at 13.55
Like the long jump, Sam Houston was best in the triple, as Tristyn Allen posted a career-best 40 feet, 5 inches. Meanwhile, Ana Moreno continued her dominance in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, finishing first at 11:12.65. In the shot put, Kristine Hanks earned a new collegiate-best with a distance of 52 feet, 9 ¼ inches.
The men posted four runner-up finishes with Kalvin Singletary doing so in the men's discus (171 feet), Evan Arambula's personal best in the 1,500 meters (3:54.73), Tyler Adams in the high jump (6 feet, 10 ¾ inches) and Logan Terry in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:28.59).
A combined nine Bearkats notched third-place finishers on the day. For the men, James Endsley did so in the discus throw (170 feet, 6 inches) as did Arambula in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:40.45) and Justin Jenkins in the 100-meter dash (10.80).
Teammate Kevin Beasley also did so in the 400-meter dash (48.72) along with Robert Monticone in the 800-meter run (1:52.25), Michael Nichols in the shot put (52 feet) and William Stark in the 400-meter hurdles (53.01). For the women, Courtney Lord took third in the high jump (5 feet, 7 inches) as did Olivia Olguin in the 1,500-meter run (4:50.76).
Jonathan Andrews went fourth in the javelin (135 feet, 9 inches) along with Aaron Akens in the discus throw (161 feet, 11 inches) while Monica McClellan earned the mark in the pole vault (10 feet, 11 ¾ inches), Madeline Walker in the hammer (155 feet) and Avery Zamzow with a personal best in the javelin (106 feet, 5 inches). Paula Smith also took fourth in the 100 meters (12.15) along with Kodii Church in the 400 meters (55.72).
Sam Houston athletes finished fifth in six events including the men's 4x400-meter relay squad of Kevin Beasley, Justin Jenkins, Bailey Rhodes and Eric Pouncy (3:17.29). Others included Bailey Rhodes in the 800 meters (1:53.87), Saige Revell in the long jump (22 feet, 5 inches) and Michael Nichols in the hammer (156 feet, 1 inch).
For the women, Morgan Heinrich took fifth in the long jump (18 feet, 6 inches) as did Meaghen Seales in the 1,500-meter run (4:58.24).
William Stark took sixth in the 110-meter hurdles (14.81) along with Joan Cepeda in the high jump (5 feet, 3 inches). Meanwhile, Sam Houston athletes took seventh in nine different events including Grant Buley in the 1,500 meters (4:06.94) and Derek Williams in the high jump (6 feet, 4 ¾ inches).
Frances Porter also did so in the 100-meter hurdles (14.95) as did Darian Bucknor in the triple jump (38 feet, 2 ¾ inches), Morgan Heinrich in the high jump (5 feet, 3 inches), Elizabeth Ene in the 200-meter dash (24.69), Meaghen Seales in the 800 meters (2:25.07), Kristine Hanks in the discus (128 feet, 6 inches) and the 4x400-meter relay unit of Frances Porter, Courtney Lord, Avery Zamzow and Nicole Jenrette (4:01.00).
Elsewhere, Aaron Akens took eighth in the hammer (148 feet, 3 inches) as did Tyler Adams in the 110-meter hurdles (14.89). Ninth-place finishers came from Colton Stoker in the 1,500-meter run (4:08.43), Joey Babbs in the high jump (6 feet, 2 ¾ inches), Kevin Beasley in the 200-meter dash (21.70), Saige Rebell in the triple jump (45 feet, 11 ¾ inches) and Madeline Walker in the discus (114 feet, 5 inches). Jasmine Lipscomb also added a 10th-place finisher at 36 feet, 6 ¼ inches.
