Albuquerque, New Mexico - It was a historic weekend for the New Mexico Highlands women's track and field program as the Cowgirls delivered a string of elite performances at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational in Albuquerque. Competing against some of the top talent in the country, the team notched multiple school records, national top-20 marks, and a new NCAA Division II national leader.
National and Conference Headlines
Patreece Clarke stole the show in the 60m hurdles. Clarke delivered two incredible runs against top-tier Division I competition, breaking her own school record twice in a single day, running 8.24 in the prelims and an even faster 8.20 in the final. Her performance catapulted her to the #1 spot in the nation for NCAA Division II. Clarke's time also moves her to #10 all-time among NCAA DII hurdlers.
Amoya Jameison continued the record-breaking trend in the 400m. Jamieson sliced a remarkable 0.7 seconds off her own school record running 55.29, a time that currently ranks her #1 in the RMAC and among the top 20 nationally.
In the 200m,
Ashley Barrett showcased her speed by taking over the RMAC lead. Her performance also moved her into the top 20 of the national rankings, further solidifying the Cowgirls' presence on the national stage.
Record-Breaking Freshmen and Personal Bests
Freshman
Hailey Renteria continues to impress racing faster for the fourth straight meet, clocking a personal best in the 800m (2:24.14) to break the Highlands freshman indoor record.
The personal bests (PB) continued across the board:
Leilani Clark recorded new season bests in both the 60m and 200m dashes.
Rojrika Campbell dipped under the 9-second barrier in the 60m hurdles for the first time (8.92)and added an indoor PB in the triple jump with mark of 11.84m-- bettering the NCAA national qualifying mark.
Lucia Burba enjoyed a standout meet, securing PBs in the high jump and shot put, alongside a season-best time in the 60m hurdles as she preps for the five-event pentathlon at the upcoming RMAC championships.
Field Event Excellence
Friday's high jump competition saw excellent performances from the entire group, with
EmmaLee Bustos,
Lucia Burba,
Allyssa Casaus, and
Tariqah Gurley - all freshmen - each delivering strong results for the Cowgirls.
The Cowgirls will look to carry this momentum forward as they head into the final stretch of the indoor season.
Upcoming Championship Dates
RMAC Indoor Championships: February 27–28 Gunnison, CO (Hosted by Western Colorado University)
NCAA Division II Indoor Championships: March 13–14, Virginia Beach, VA.
