ST. GEORGE, Utah – Southern Utah opened its 2026 outdoor season with a strong showing at the Utah Tech Invite, finishing fourth overall with 11 total medals, including three first-place finishes. The Thunderbirds delivered a well-rounded performance across multiple events, setting the tone for the outdoor campaign and building early momentum against a competitive field.
Head Coach Eric Houle Said
"Overall, it was a strong opening weekend for us and a great way to start the season. We had several standout performances on both the men's and women's sides, with several athletes stepping up, setting the tone early, and putting together really competitive efforts across the board. It was encouraging to see the depth of the group and the way we competed in our first meet."
Utah Tech Invite Results
Results of the Utah Tech Invite can be found here.
Utah Tech Invite Recap and Results
Men's Track & Field
Southern Utah's men's team delivered a strong showing, highlighted by three event wins and multiple podium finishes. Junior Isley Gutierrez captured the 110-meter hurdles title in 14.25, which is a meet record. Senior Bronis MacDougall won the javelin with a throw of 66.16 meters, which is #4 all-time for the Thunderbirds. On the track, junior Kadan Allen led the distance group with a runner-up finish in the 800 meters (1:50.83), and the Thunderbirds went 2-3 in the 400-meter hurdles behind Ashton Miller (52.44) and Tyler Myrup (53.03). The men's 4x400 relay added another second-place finish in 3:19.42. Field events saw additional success with third-place efforts from Logan Peel in the 5,000 meters (14:28.08), Divin Kalanga in the long jump (6.78m), Andrew Cooper in the shot put (16.21m), and Zsombor Takacs in the discus (50.11m). SUU also showcased depth across sprints and mid-distance events, with several top-10 finishes contributing to a balanced team performance.
Women's Track & Field
On the women's side, Southern Utah was led by sophomore Jaylee Gandert, who won the javelin with a mark of 48.26 meters (158-4), highlighting a strong day for the throws group. Freshman Timmia Rucks added a runner-up finish in the triple jump (11.23m) and contributed across sprint events, while the women's 4x100 relay placed fourth (48.33). Distance standout Aspen Hacker recorded top-10 finishes in both the 1,500 meters (4:37.54) and 3,000-meter steeplechase (11:30.08). The Thunderbirds also saw solid depth in the throws, with multiple top-10 finishes in both shot put and discus, and consistent performances across sprints, hurdles, and middle-distance races.
Up Next
The Thunderbirds now turn their attention to March 26, when they will travel to Orem, Utah, to compete in the UVU Collegiate Invite. Southern Utah looks to build on its strong opening performance and carry that momentum into another competitive meet.
Follow Us
Stay current on the Thunderbird track and field programs by following @SUUTFXC on Twitter and Instagram and liking the Southern Utah Track and XC page on Facebook.
Donate
To help support Thunderbird athletics, consider donating today! To learn more about how you can support, click here.
