FLAGSTAFF, Ariz– The Southern Utah University track and field teams closed competition at the NAU Ron Mann Classic Saturday Night. The Thunderbirds posted a slew of new personal records, and freshman Astley Davis shattered the SUU school record in the triple jump.
After breaking the SUU triple-jump record earlier this year at the NAU Lumberjack Team Challenge with a jump of 49 5 ½", Davis broke his own school record with a mammoth leap of 50'6" to finish in second place in the event. He carried that performance into the long jump, where he won with a 23'7 ½", moving him into third place all-time in the SUU record books.
Payton Riggs earned his first event win of the season in the 800 meters, with a converted time of 1:51.67, placing first overall in the Western Athletic Conference and sixth all-time in the event for Southern Utah.
Dylan Gibson continued his successful indoor season by climbing up the SUU record books with a time of 21.43 and a first-place finish in the 200-meters. This performance moves him into fifth place all-time for the Thunderbirds.
In the 4x400 relay, Jaedyn Carpenter, Nelson Douglas, Gibson, and Jace Rogers blazed to a first-place finish with a time of 3:17.19.
Joren McKeever won the high jump for the second time this Indoor season, clearing a mark of 6'8".
In the 60-meter hurdles, Trenton Maurer ran a new personal record time of 8.15 to take fourth place, while moving up to fourth place all-time in the event for SUU.
Jared Sharp crushed his record in the pole vault by nearly a foot with a mark of 14' 7 ¼ to earn 11th place.
Dominick Vasquez launched a throw of 53" 10 ½" in the weight throw to earn a new personal best and secure seventh place event and ninth place in the Thunderbird record books.
Three Thunderbird distance athletes also snatched new personal bests in the mile. Nethaneel Taylor jetted to 12th place with a 4:15.61. Lanse Larsen was just a second behind in 15th place with a 4:16.65, and Nathan Carlin rounded things out with a time of 4:18.96 in 17th.
On the women's side, several Thunderbirds had stellar performances in the pentathlon. Seadra Hamilton earned a personal record in the high jump with a leap of 5'3 ¼", before taking third place overall with a total score of 3671, moving her into second place all-time in the event for Southern Utah. Jentry Skidmore followed close behind Hamilton, securing a score of 3667 to take third place in the event and earn third place all-time. In her pentathlon debut, Melissa Crane took seventh place with a score of 3108, pushing her into 10th place all-time.
Freshman Secret Mceuen blistered to an impressive time of 25.04 to take third place in the 200 meters, moving her into sixth place in the SUU record books.
Savannah Nielson cruised into the record books with a time of 8.68 in the 60 Meter Hurdles, putting her in fourth place all-time.
In the weight throw, Rebecca Hazlet recorded a massive three-foot personal record by rocketing a throw of 49 11' ¾ to secure seventh place. Kaydee Marshall also earned a new personal record with a mark of 40 in the shot put taking fourth place.
Ariana Baker posted an impressive feat in the pole vault, clearing a height of 11'1 ¾", moving her from Ninth in school history to third place.
Newcomer Nixie Killpack clinched a new personal record in the mile with a converted time of 5:08.20 to take 11th place.
Ajia Hughes remained dominant in the high jump by leaping to a mark of 5'6, earning second place in the event.
Up Next
The Thunderbirds will now prepare for their busiest weekend of the year as they head to the Whitworth Invitational and the Husky Classic on Friday, Feb 10, and Saturday, Feb 11.
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