Golden, Colorado - The NMHU Track and Field team had a successful opening weekend competing at the Alumni Classic, hosted by the Colorado School of Mines, winning four individual events.
"We schedule these December meets to motivate our athletes during the fall grind and also as a test of how prepared we are for the long season to come," said NMHU Head Coach
Bob DeVries. "I'd say our whole group aced the test. Coach
Damia Russell has done another masterful job preparing our athletes throughout the fall and the work of our volunteers, Coach
Howard Dunbar and Coach
Christina Mbadie with our throwers, cannot be overlooked."
Sophomore
Ashley Barrett ran a blistering 7.35 seconds to win the 60m dash. Her time stands as the fastest in the RMAC and NCAA II year to date. In her first collegiate competition freshman
Rujeko Munetsi finished fourth in 7.60 seconds which is fourth in the conference and 21st in NCAA II.
"There's a rivalry brewing between Ashley and the UCCS top sprinter going back to when Ashley ran her down to win the 4x100 at the RMAC championships last spring. The 60 final was electric and loud, with both teams lining the track, but Ashley left little doubt about who's the current RMAC 'sprint queen'," said DeVries. "Freshman Rujeko Munesti had never even an indoor track before Saturday. Getting herself on the national qualifying list in her first competition is very promising. With Patreece and Onada we have the makings of an outstanding relay squad."
Patreece Clarke won the 60m hurdles in 8.71 which is the second fastest in the conference and fifth best in NCAA II.
On Clarke's race DeVries said, "Patreece looked quick and clean in the prelims. There was a little contact over hurdle two in the final and she had to fight back for the win. That's why she's already a three time All American in the hurdles and already in the top ten on the national indoor list."
Kacian Powell captured the 400m with a time of 54.43, tops in the RMAC and 13th in NCAA II.
"Mines is a tough, tight, track to race 400M and Kacian needed the first lap to figure it out. Once she got rolling, it was fun to see her really take off for her first collegiate win," said DeVries.
Chisom Obioha won the event's long jump with a mark of 5.76 meters which is the best in the RMAC and 9th in NCAA II.
"Mines is a great place to jump and Chisom took advantage of the opportunity," commented DeVries. "She had a very slight foul out near the 6-meter mark and had a great series of jumps to put herself on the NCAA qualifying list."
Sophomore
Rojrika Campbell competed in the Pentathon and High Jump over the weekend finishing eighth and sixth respectively.
"Rojrika fell in the hurdles, the opening event of the pentathlon, but she kept going. This was her first ever multi and learning to be a multi takes a different mentality and the ability to bounce back. She came back the next day and improved in the hurdles and HJ. She is going to be asked to do the same at conference," commented Coach DeVries.
Summer Abeyta and
Josey French ran in the Mile on Saturday for NMHU.
"Summer and Josey had some fun in this race. We didn't do much after cross country, this was just getting motivated for the break and training to get our school record in the Distance Medley relay next semester," said DeVries on their performance.
Finally a pair of freshmen,
Nizhoni Apodaca and
Zaivein Bowen, advanced to the finals in the Shot Put with marks of 11.37m and 10.53m respectively.
"We put two freshmen throwers into the shot final and that hasn't happened in a while.
Nizhoni Apodaca shows some outstanding promise in the shot and
Zaivein Bowen has improved dramatically in the weight throw coming into the season," observed Coach DeVries.
The Cowgirls will break for the holidays and return to competition January 24th and 25th at the Adams State Qualifier.
