HOUSTON, Texas - The Muleriders delivered a strong performance at the FasTrak Athletix Collegiate Challenge, held at the Yeoman Fieldhouse on the University of Houston campus. The team recorded multiple top-ten finishes across both field and track events.
In the women's high jump, Ashlynn Dickey led the Muleriders with a 6th-place finish, clearing 1.55m, while Anaya Ervin tied for 10th place at 1.45m. Both Dickey and Ervin recorded new personal bests in this tournament. Over in the women's pole vault, Melissa Tagorda secured an 8th-place finish with a clearance of 3.25m, also a new personal best for the freshman.
The women's long jump saw Carmin Tolliver take 12th place with a mark of 4.86m, followed by Jordan Smith in 15th place at 4.68m. Tolliver also competed in the triple jump, placing 11th with a mark of 10.71m. All three results marked new personal bests for these athletes.
For the men's triple jump, Chad Blake recorded a 7th-place finish with a mark of 13.54m, while Daylon Davis finished 12th at 11.66m, which is a new personal best for the freshman. In the men's shot put, Bo Rogers finished 10th with a throw of 13.66m, with Cooper Harris and Jonovan Gamble placing 11th (12.42m) and 14th (11.88m), respectively. These marks set new personal bests for both Harris and Gamble.
The women's shot put featured a strong performance from Irieyanna Wilson, who secured 5th place with a mark of 13.41m, while Kailyn Thomas finished 12th at 11.96m. Thomas also excelled in the women's weight throw, earning a 2nd-place finish and a new personal best with a throw of 17.10m, while Keyonce Brown finished 5th at 14.75m.
In the men's weight throw, Rocco Patrick placed 6th with a mark of 16.86m, followed closely by Jason Patrick in 7th place at 16.65m. Bo Rogers rounded out the event with a 10th-place finish at 13.61m. All three marks are new personal bests for the trio.
On the track, Madyson Pence represented the Muleriders in the women's mile, finishing 10th with a time of 5:24.72, securing a new personal best. In the men's 60m hurdles, Jaxon Plunkett placed 15th with a time of 9.09, also recording a new personal best.
Sprinter Christian Cobb made a strong showing in the men's 60 meters, finishing 7th with a time of 6.91. Cobb recorded a new personal best in the prelims with a time of 6.88.
In the women's 400 meters, Jordan Collins delivered a standout performance, finishing 2nd with a time of 57.79, while Jayla Davila placed 12th in 59.91. On the men's side, Jaxon Plunkett secured a 10th-place finish with a time of 50.35.
The women's 800 meters saw Rylee Robinson finish 10th in 2:28.23. In the men's 800 meters, Joe Duirden took an impressive 3rd place with a new personal best and a time of 1:56.99, while Hunter Pye placed 9th in 1:59.30, also recording a new personal best.
In the distance relays, the men's 4000m DMR team—Isaac Gass, Cayden Burns, Hunter Pye, and Brandon Escobar—claimed 4th place with a time of 10:57.50. Meanwhile, the men's 4x400m relay team of Jaxon Plunkett, Jayquan Dickerson, La'Tavion Mays, and Joe Duirden placed 6th in 3:26.20.
Southern Arkansas put together a strong showing at the FasTrak Athletix Collegiate Challenge, with several athletes achieving top finishes and setting the stage for continued success. The Indoor Track & Field Team is back for one last showing next weekend Feb. 14-15 when they head to Pittsburg, Kansas for the 10th Annual Russ Jewett Gorilla Invite.
