TUSCALOOSA, Ala. / HOUSTON- The Texas A&M-Kingsville track and field program split up on Saturday, with a squad competing at the Crimson Tide Invitational at the Sam Bailey Track and Field Stadium on the campus of Alabama, while another group saw action at Wendel D. Lay Track and Holloway Field for the J. Fred Duckett Twilight Invitational hosted by Rice. 
 
Sophomore Ja'Qualon Scott turned in a pair of impressive performances in Tuscaloosa, first placing second in the 110m hurdles at 13.82 before claiming silver in the 400m hurdles, with his time of 50.56 placing him just behind Corde Long from Alabama. Scott had company in the 400m hurdles, as junior Gabriel Field placed 11th, clocking in at 53.91.
 
The women's 4x400m relay squad comprised of freshman Melonie Roland, sophomore Vitiana Robert, newcomer Amber Gonzales, and sophomore Cynai Christopher then set a new season-best time of 3:46.02, slotting themselves 18th on the NCAA Division II performance list and second at the invite. 
 
Roland and Christopher also performed well in the open 400m, with Roland placing seventh at 55.48 and Christopher eighth in 56.09, both provisional qualifying marks. 
 
Sophomore Thomas Nieto was champion in the pole vault as the Colombian cleared a bar set at 5.45m (17-10.50), propelling him past Matthew Asplund of Auburn. Classmate Blake Gordon joined him in the competition, using a 4.80m (15-9) to place ninth.
 
The throwers had a stellar Saturday at the Crimson Tide Invitational, with junior Paxton Hair setting the tone early with a ninth-place finish in the discus at 50.94m (167-1). 
 
Later, in the shot put, senior Marco Arevalo heaved the implement 16.76m (55-0) to slot himself fifth among a slew of DI competition. Sophomore Garrett Burns and graduate student D.J. Delancy finished back-to-back in the event, with Burns reaching 16.25m (53-3.75) and Delancy 16.24m (53-3.50)
 
Meanwhile, in the Space City, sophomore Cody Fountain placed fourth in the 800m dash, clocking in at 1:50.55 to sandwich himself between student-athletes from Houston and New Orleans.
 
Over in the high jump, freshman Fakhreddine Benhadja surpassed a height of 1.97m (6-05.50) to tie Miles Jones of Lamar for fifth. The women's iteration featured freshman Madison Ramos who also collected fifth, clearing 1.62m (5-03.75). 
 
Junior Jazmin Ray then took sixth in the triple jump with a 12.09m (39-08.00) leap slotting her between competitors from Texas Southern and Houston Christian. 
 
In the pole vault, junior Reid Barba recorded a 4.68m (15-04.25) clearance for bronze among a talented field of Rice vaulters. 
 
Rounding things out, graduate student Stephen Cardenas slung the hammer 51.69m (169-07), allowing him to place ninth. 
 
The Javelinas will have an idle week before making a trek to Lubbock, Texas, to compete in the 2023 Lone Star Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the Lubbock Christian Soccer and Track Facility beginning on Friday, May 5. 
 
 To keep up-to-date with Javelina track and field, follow the program on Facebook at /JavelinaSports, Twitter @JavelinaTFXC, and on Instagram @JavelinaTFXC