Golden, Colorado -
Ashley Barrett's remarkable three gold medals and
Rojrika Campbell's recognition as the RMAC Women's Outdoor Track & Field Performer of the Meet underscored a fantastic final day for the New Mexico Highlands University Cowgirls at the conference championships.
The Cowgirls ignited the track in the 4x100 relay, setting a new RMAC record with a blistering time of 44.21. The quartet of
Rujeko Munetsi,
Ashley Barrett,
Kacian Powell, and
Patreece Clarke now boasts the fastest time in the nation in this event.
Just moments later,
Patreece Clarke returned to the track and shattered another RMAC record, winning the 100-meter hurdles in 13.37, propelling her to #4 in the national rankings.
The gold rush continued for the Cowgirls as
Ashley Barrett secured her eighth consecutive RMAC title in the short sprints (dating back to the 2024 indoor season). She claimed victories in both the 100 meters (11.60) and the 200 meters, where her time of 23.23 set yet another RMAC record and moved her to #4 on the NCAA performance list.
"Coach (Damia) Russell proved he's one of the best sprint coaches in all of D2 with how our athletes competed, recovered and continued to set records," noted HU head coach
Bob DeVries.
The meet concluded with a thrilling 4x400 relay. In a strategic race for third place in the team standings against CSU-Pueblo, the Highlands team of Munetsi, Amoya Jamieson,
Kacian Powell, and Barrett dug deep to secure second place with a season-best time of 3:46.11. The anchor leg saw a captivating battle between Barrett and Pueblo's 800-meter national champion, Helen Baybrook. Despite Baybrook's late charge, Barrett's sprint speed prevailed, clinching the crucial third-place team finish for the Cowgirls.
Adding to her stellar weekend,
Rojrika Campbell earned her third medal, taking second place in the high jump with a personal best leap of 1.67m (5'-5 3/4"). Her outstanding performances across multiple events earned her the prestigious honor of RMAC Women's Outdoor Track & Field Performer of the Meet.
The Cowgirls demonstrated their dominance in the short sprints as Clarke also secured an upset runner-up finish in the 100 meters, with Munetsi finishing fourth and Powell fifth. Powell added another surprise second-place finish in the 200 meters, solidifying the Cowgirls' command in these events. Jamieson contributed valuable team points with a fourth-place finish in the 400 meters, clocking a personal best of 55.80.
DeVries lauded his team's resilience, stating, "I probably ask too much of our athletes-- if we don't run the relay, Pueblo passes us for third in the team standings -- our women weren't about to let that happen."
The Cowgirls' determined performance across the board culminated in a memorable and successful RMAC Championship.
