University of Houston Athletics
University of Houston
Tom Tellez Invitational
Houston Wraps Outdoor Regular Season
5/4/2018 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
HOUSTON â€" The Houston Cougar Men's and Women's Track & Field Teams wrapped up the 2018 regular season on the outdoor slate in front of the home fans with the Tom Tellez Invitational, on Friday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Houston's top performance of the day came on the long jump runway, when Jared Kerr posted the fifth-best mark in program history. On his third attempt, Kerr traveled 26-0.75 (7.94m) to finish second overall and first among collegiates in the competition. That mark moves Kerr to No. 10 in the NCAA this season.
Trumaine Jefferson took third in the event with a personal-best jump of 25-0.0 (7.62m), moving him to No. 51 in the NCAA this season, while Antwan Dickerson took fourth at 24-5.75 (7.46m).
Track events opened with a win in the 4x100-meter relay for the women's team. The Cougars finished the 400-meter relay in 45.98 to take the gold.
The Cougars tabbed a win in the vertical leaps, when Hawa Wague claimed the high jump championship. Wague cleared the bar at 5-5.0 (1.65m) to take the gold. In the women's pole vault, Oliva Winterkamp set a personal-best by going up-and-over the bar at 11-7.75 (3.55m) to take second, while Sarah Howe matched a personal record, when she cleared at the same height, but on a later attempt, to take third.
The Cougars would sweep the men's and women's titles in the high jump after Colin George took the gold on the men's side. While jumping in the rain, George cleared the bar on his third attempt at 6-7.0 (2.01m).
Action would move to the hurdles, where Houston would pick up another victory on the track, in the women's 100-meter hurdles. Naomi Taylor cleared the obstacles in 13.71 to edge Michelle Harrison of Saskatoon to take first.
Mackenzie Chapa just missed a personal best with her win in the women's discus. Chapa used her third attempt of the competition to throw 143-6 (43.75m) to claim the event.
In the 400-meter dash, Houston would tally another win from Birexus Hawkins in her season-debut in the event. A hurdler by trade, Hawkins completed the one-lap sprint in 56.26 to finish first.
In the women's long jump, Tonye'cia Burks picked up a second-place finish on her senior day. Burks used her third attempt to travel a season-best 19-4.75 (5.91m). Justice Henderson finished fourth in the event at 18-5.75 (5.63m).
The day opened in the field, with Jennifer Ramirez as the lone Cougar competitor in the women's hammer throw. Ramirez picked up a personal-best on her fourth throw of the competition, when she marked 163-7 (49.87m) to finish fourth.
Houston picked up three top-5 finishes in the men's and women's 1,500-meter run. On the men's side, Devin Fahey completed the race in 4:00.34 to take second, while senior Matt Parmley ran 4:07.17 to take fifth. For the women, senior Maria Gonzales placed fourth with a time of 4:48.14.
Essance Sample picked up a third-place finish in the women's 100-meter dash with a personal best. Sample ran the straight-track in 11.84 to finish first among collegiates. On the men's side, Nicholas Alexander moved to No. 71 in the NCAA this season with his fifth-place finish in 10.39.
Houston capped the individual running events in a big way with performances in the 200-meter dash. For the men, Alexander (20.84), Cameron Burrell (20.87), Kahmari Montgomery (20.93) and Amere Lattin (20.95) all went sub-21 to finish first through fourth, respectively among NCAA competitors. Alexander moved to No. 56 in the NCAA with the effort, while Burrell improved to No. 62.
Ariele Adams finished fifth overall and first collegiately in the women's event with a personal-best 24.24.
In the middle-distance, Houston picked up a second-place finish from Brianna Nolen. Nolen ran the 800-meter run in 2:16.34 to take the silver. On the men's side, Aaron Hurd finished fourth in a personal-best 1:54.69.
Priscilla Adejokun capped the field events for the women with a win in the shot put. Adejokun threw 44-11.0 (13.69m) on her final throw to win the event, just minutes before singing a beautiful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner to kick off the running events.
The final event of the night for the Cougars was the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Houston picked up a pair of top-3 finishes, when Chris Wallace crossed the line in 9:34.29, and Gabe Lara finished right on his heels in a personal-best 9:34.68.
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Players Mentioned
