Natalynn Mcrae

Women's Track and Field 1/21/2023 7:50:00 PM Ryan Smith, Athletic Communications Coordinator

Seven first-place finishes highlight Fastrak Athletix Collegiate Opener

Six student-athletes and the men’s 4x400m relay team combined for seven championships on Saturday

Houston- On Friday, the throwing program dominated as the Texas A&M-Kingsville track and field program competed at the Fastrak Athletix Collegiate Opener inside the Yeoman Fieldhouse on the campus of Houston.

Junior Katryna Hernandez collected gold in both the shot put and weight throw, first reaching 13.30m (43-07.75) for the top spot in the shot before heaving the implement 14.95m (49-00.75) for first in the weight throw. Senior Dianna Bustos-Torres joined her on the podium in the weight throw, placing third and measuring at 13.70m (44-11.50).

The men swept the shot put as D.J. Delancy took first with a 17.05m (55-11.25) heave, the 14th-best in NCAA Division II thus far. Junior Garrett Burns and classmate Paxton Hair weren't far behind as Burns claimed silver at 15.03m (49-03.75) and Hair third at 14.95m (47-10.50).

Graduate Student Stephen Cardenas reached 16.47m (54-00.50) on his final attempt to climb the leader board in the weight throw and secure gold, while Hair placed second with a 16.31m (53-06.25) heave.

The jumps group also saw a handful of stellar performances, with freshman Brooklyn Lamprecht posting a first-place finish in the long jump after leaping 5.13m (16-10.00) on her fourth attempt.

At the men's long jump put, graduate student Dean Wallace collected silver, while newcomer Fakhreddine Benhadja was right behind him in third. Wallace measured 6.70m (21-11.75) and Benhadja 6.63m (21-09) en route to the podium.

Later, in the women's high jump, graduate student Criselda Cruz and junior Jezell Shows finished back-to-back in second and third as Cruz cleared 1.50m (4-11) and Shows 1.45m (4-09)

A pair of performers placed in the pole vault, with sophomore Thomas Nieto matching his nation-best 5.35m (17-06.50) clearance from Friday's Robert Platt Invitational for second place among the men, while junior Bianca Cardenas took third in the women's vault at 3.35m (10-11.75).

On the track, the men's and women's 4x400m relay teams reached the podium as the men's team, comprised of freshman Tony Benitez, junior Gabriel Field, freshman Sean Huff, and junior Preston Rabe, took gold at 3:24.87.

The women meanwhile placed second as newcomer Zoe Brown, freshman Amber Gonzalez, classmate Jazmine Miller, and sophomore Lori Martinez completed the relay in 4:08.66.

Field found success individually as he earned silver in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.43, placing him just behind sophomore Ja'Qualon Scott who won after clocking in at 7.95. Additionally, Scott completed the 200m dash in 22.30, collecting bronze along the way.

Sophomore Cynai Christopher was crowned champion in the women's 200m, thanks to a time of 25.58, before junior Sophia Ramirez claimed second in the 400m, clocking in at 58.82.

The men's squad saw two more podium finishes in the form of sophomore Cody Fountain who used a time of 2:34.45 to collect silver in the 800m, and junior Shaun Gill, who clocked in at 6.89 for bronze in the 60m dash.

The Javelinas will take a week off before visiting Maryville, Missouri, on Thursday, Feb. 2, to compete at the Northwest Missouri Bearcat Invitational.

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Players Mentioned

Stephen Cardenas: Graduate Student

D.J. Delancy: Graduate Student

Gabriel Field: Junior

Cody Fountain: Sophomore

Shaun Gill: Senior

Ja’Qualon Scott: Sophomore

Dean Wallace: Graduate Student

Garrett Burns: Junior

Preston Rabe: Junior

Tony Benitez: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Stephen Cardenas
: Graduate Student

D.J. Delancy
: Graduate Student

Gabriel Field
: Junior

Cody Fountain
: Sophomore

Shaun Gill
: Senior

Ja’Qualon Scott
: Sophomore

Dean Wallace
: Graduate Student

Garrett Burns
: Junior

Preston Rabe
: Junior

Tony Benitez
: Freshman