LUBBOCK, Texas. — The Texas A&M-Kingsville track and field program completed competition at the 2023 Lone Star Conference Indoor Championships, with the men's team securing a second-place finish at 129.5 points and the women fourth at 46.5 points inside the Texas Tech Sports Performance Center on Sunday. 

West Texas A&M was crowned champions on both sides, with their men's team boasting 220 points and their women's 248. 

Sophomore Ja'Qualon Scott was the day's top performer, claiming an individual championship in the 60m hurdles, clocking in at 7.88, and coasting toward the top of the podium. Junior Gabriel Field joined Scott in the event, placing eighth at 8.41. 

Scott also earned bronze in the 400m dash as he completed the race in 47.52, with junior Michael Samihamba not far behind at 49.27 in seventh. The pair later teamed up with junior Bryson Dyer and freshman Tony Benitez to log a third-place finish in the men's 4x400m relay at 3:16.22.

Additionally, Scott placed fourth in the 200m dash at 21.39.

Meanwhile, the women's 4x400m relay team comprised of freshman Melanie Roland, sophomore Vitiana Robert, junior Sophia Ramirez, and sophomore Cynai Christopher clocked in at 3:49.43 to narrowly best Midwestern State and place third. 

Christopher and Roland also had a strong showing in the open 400m, finishing back-to-back in sixth and seventh, with Christopher finishing in 56.62 and Roland 56.91.

Also scoring points on the track, senior Shaun Gill placed fifth in the 60m dash and sophomore Cody Fountain fourth in the 800m at 1:53.34.

In the men's shot put, the Javelinas finished second through fifth, with senior Marco Arevalo taking silver with a 16.80m (55-1.50) toss and graduate student D.J. Delancy bronze at 16.44m (53-11.25). Junior Garrett Burns took fourth with a 15.73m (51-7.25) throw, and sophomore Paxton Hair wrapped things up in fifth after a 15.29m (50-2) toss. 

The women's shot put squad also saw success, with junior Katryna Hernandez securing silver at 13.27m (43-6.25) and junior Mackenzie Contreras bronze, reaching 13.02m (42-8.75).

The heptathlon saw a pair score points, with graduate student Dean Wallace placing second and scoring 5440 points, while sophomore Nathan Melton was issued eighth with a score of 4,739.

Three placed in the jumps, as freshman Fakhreddine Benhadja leapt 13.92m (45-8) en route to a bronze medal in the men's triple jump, and junior Jazmin Ray placed sixth in the women's, reaching 11.36.

Freshman Madison Ramos also impressed in her first conference meet, taking fourth in the high jump with a 1.60m (5-3) clearance. 

The Javelinas now await their fate with several student-athletes hoping to make the cut and qualify for the 2023 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships, which begin on Friday, March 10, at the Virginia Beach Sports Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia. 

 To keep up-to-date with Javelina track and field, follow the program on Facebook at /JavelinaSports, Twitter @JavelinaTFXC, and on Instagram @JavelinaTFXC