University of Houston Athletics
Wednesday, May 26
College Station, Texas
University of Houston
vs
NCAA West Preliminary Rounds
Houston Primed for Action at NCAA West Prelims
5/25/2021 9:42:00 PM | Track and Field
Cougars bring largest contingent in program history to regional
HOUSTON – The University of Houston Track & Field program is set to compete at the 2021 NCAA West Region Prelims May 26-29 at E.B. Cushing Stadium on the campus of Texas A&M.
The format of the meet is similar to the NCAA Track & Field Championships with men and women competing on separate days. The Cougar men will compete on Wednesday and Friday, while the women compete on Thursday and Saturday. The meet can be viewed live via the SECN+. The full meet schedule can be found HERE
MEET RESULTS
MEN'S HEAT SHEETS
WOMEN'S HEAT SHEETS
The Houston men sit at No. 10 and the women's team at No. 16 in the latest United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll after sweeping the 2021 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championship team titles.
WOMEN'S EVENT PREVIEWS
Houston will be a force to be reckoned with in the sprints, making up a large portion of the field. Fresh off helping the Cougar women win their first outdoor title since 2018, Brianne Bethel will compete in four events this week. Bethel joins Tristan Evelyn, Cecilia Tamayo- Garza and Camille Rutherford in the 100-meter. Evelyn is the one to keep an eye on in the 100-meter, entering the meet with the fifth-fastest time in the West Region at 11.14, followed by Tamayo-Garza with the eighth-fastest time (11.21). In the 200-meter, Bethel is the owner of the second-fastest time in the West Region at 22.54. She is joined by Tamayo-Garza and Rutherford in the 200-meter and the quartet will compete together in the 4x100-meter relay. The UH women's 4x400-meter relay will feature Bethel, Payge Side, Iman Babineaux and Aliyah Taylor.
Naomi Taylor returns to action in the 100-meter hurdles joined by freshman hurdler Sarah Belle in the event. Taylor won the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 12.84w, recording the fifth-fastest time in the West Region a few weeks ago at the Drake Relays. This marks Taylor's third appearance at regionals.
Two Cougars are competing in the 400-meter hurdles on the women's side. Erin Derrow and Imari Chatman are set to make their first appearances at the NCAA Regionals in the event after clocking sub-60 second times earlier this season at the J. Fred Duckett Twilight.
The UH Women will be well represented in the field with qualifiers in six different events. Sarah Howe heads to College Station after earning a podium finish in the pole vault at the conference championships. Samiyah Samuels has been a mainstay on the national stage for the Cougars and is returning to regionals in the long jump. Destiny Lawrence is set to make her first trip to regionals in the Triple Jump, looking to extend an already stellar freshman outdoor season.
Houston has been anchored this season by stellar performances from the UH Throwers. Nu'uausala Tuilefano propelled herself into the top-15 of the NCAA Shot Put rankings with a conference meet record toss of 17.11m (56-1.75). Nora Monie has shattered the program record in the discus multiple times this season and is representing the Cougars in the Discus this weekend. The women's Hammer Throw is highlighted by two Cougars as Taylor Scaife and Mikaila Martin battle for NCAA qualifying marks after taking first and second at The American Championships.
MEN'S EVENT PREVIEW
The Cougar men will make up a large portion of the sprinters competing in the West Region with six qualifiers in the 100-meter and six in the 200-meter. All of the UH qualifiers are ranked among the top-25 in the West Region. Shaun Maswanganyi enters the week with the top-seed time in both the 100 and 200-meter after winning both events at The American Championships.
The 400-meter features Jermaine Holt and Tyrell Valentine. The duo secured a pair of podium finishes in the event at The American Championships, as Holt took home the league title at 46.06.
The Houston hurdles squad is comprised of Quivell Jordan, Dayo Akindele and DJ Akindele. Jordan clocked the seventh-fastest time in the region just over a week ago in Tampa, clocking in at 49.76. DJ Akindele joins Jordan in the 400-meter hurdles after finishing on the podium at the conference championships. The Akindele brothers will compete alongside each other in the 110-meter hurdles after taking first and second-place at USF.
Houston has been the NCAA-leader in the 4x100-meter relay since March when the group blazed the track at the Texas Relays with a time of 38.49. The UH 4x400-meter relay squad clocked a season-best 3:05.51 in the event at the conference championships and enter the meet with the ninth-best time in the region.
UH not only will have the opportunity to make an impact on the track, but in the field as well with a large contingent of qualifiers competing in the morning sessions. Christyan Sampy, Antonio Ruiz and Ben Percefull make up the trio of pole vaulters competing this weekend, after sweeping the podium in Tampa. Benjamin Okafor is the lone UH long jumper, set to make his first appearance at a regional. Houston is set to be well represented in the triple jump as Jadon Brome, Quinton Stringfellow and Caleb Malbrough are set for their first appearance at the West region prelims.
Triston Gibbons and Miles Marhofer are representing Houston on the throwing ring as Gibbons is set to compete in the Discus and the Shot Put. Marhofer is the lone Cougar in the Hammer Throw this week, competing in his first Division I regional.
FOLLOW THE COUGARS
Fans can keep up with the latest in University of Houston Cougar athletics by following us on Facebook (Facebook.com/HoustonAthletics), Twitter (@UHCougars), Instagram (houstoncougars) and YouTube.com (Youtube.com/UHAthletics). In addition, the Track & Field team has established its own official Facebook (facebook.com/UHCougarTF) and Twitter pages (@UHCougarTF).
SUPPORTING HOUSTON TRACK & FIELD AND CROSS COUNTRY
The Podium Club serves as a unique and effective way to enhance the level of excitement and support for Houston Cougar Track & Field and Cross Country. Gifts to the Podium Club provide financial support directly to the UH Track & Field and Cross Country programs for needs beyond their operating budgets. Donations made to the Podium Club are used at the discretion of the Head Coach.
Houston supporters interested in joining the Podium Club or for more information, please click here.
--UHCougars.com--
The format of the meet is similar to the NCAA Track & Field Championships with men and women competing on separate days. The Cougar men will compete on Wednesday and Friday, while the women compete on Thursday and Saturday. The meet can be viewed live via the SECN+. The full meet schedule can be found HERE
MEET RESULTS
MEN'S HEAT SHEETS
WOMEN'S HEAT SHEETS
The Houston men sit at No. 10 and the women's team at No. 16 in the latest United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll after sweeping the 2021 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championship team titles.
WOMEN'S EVENT PREVIEWS
Houston will be a force to be reckoned with in the sprints, making up a large portion of the field. Fresh off helping the Cougar women win their first outdoor title since 2018, Brianne Bethel will compete in four events this week. Bethel joins Tristan Evelyn, Cecilia Tamayo- Garza and Camille Rutherford in the 100-meter. Evelyn is the one to keep an eye on in the 100-meter, entering the meet with the fifth-fastest time in the West Region at 11.14, followed by Tamayo-Garza with the eighth-fastest time (11.21). In the 200-meter, Bethel is the owner of the second-fastest time in the West Region at 22.54. She is joined by Tamayo-Garza and Rutherford in the 200-meter and the quartet will compete together in the 4x100-meter relay. The UH women's 4x400-meter relay will feature Bethel, Payge Side, Iman Babineaux and Aliyah Taylor.
Naomi Taylor returns to action in the 100-meter hurdles joined by freshman hurdler Sarah Belle in the event. Taylor won the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 12.84w, recording the fifth-fastest time in the West Region a few weeks ago at the Drake Relays. This marks Taylor's third appearance at regionals.
Two Cougars are competing in the 400-meter hurdles on the women's side. Erin Derrow and Imari Chatman are set to make their first appearances at the NCAA Regionals in the event after clocking sub-60 second times earlier this season at the J. Fred Duckett Twilight.
The UH Women will be well represented in the field with qualifiers in six different events. Sarah Howe heads to College Station after earning a podium finish in the pole vault at the conference championships. Samiyah Samuels has been a mainstay on the national stage for the Cougars and is returning to regionals in the long jump. Destiny Lawrence is set to make her first trip to regionals in the Triple Jump, looking to extend an already stellar freshman outdoor season.
Houston has been anchored this season by stellar performances from the UH Throwers. Nu'uausala Tuilefano propelled herself into the top-15 of the NCAA Shot Put rankings with a conference meet record toss of 17.11m (56-1.75). Nora Monie has shattered the program record in the discus multiple times this season and is representing the Cougars in the Discus this weekend. The women's Hammer Throw is highlighted by two Cougars as Taylor Scaife and Mikaila Martin battle for NCAA qualifying marks after taking first and second at The American Championships.
MEN'S EVENT PREVIEW
The Cougar men will make up a large portion of the sprinters competing in the West Region with six qualifiers in the 100-meter and six in the 200-meter. All of the UH qualifiers are ranked among the top-25 in the West Region. Shaun Maswanganyi enters the week with the top-seed time in both the 100 and 200-meter after winning both events at The American Championships.
The 400-meter features Jermaine Holt and Tyrell Valentine. The duo secured a pair of podium finishes in the event at The American Championships, as Holt took home the league title at 46.06.
The Houston hurdles squad is comprised of Quivell Jordan, Dayo Akindele and DJ Akindele. Jordan clocked the seventh-fastest time in the region just over a week ago in Tampa, clocking in at 49.76. DJ Akindele joins Jordan in the 400-meter hurdles after finishing on the podium at the conference championships. The Akindele brothers will compete alongside each other in the 110-meter hurdles after taking first and second-place at USF.
Houston has been the NCAA-leader in the 4x100-meter relay since March when the group blazed the track at the Texas Relays with a time of 38.49. The UH 4x400-meter relay squad clocked a season-best 3:05.51 in the event at the conference championships and enter the meet with the ninth-best time in the region.
UH not only will have the opportunity to make an impact on the track, but in the field as well with a large contingent of qualifiers competing in the morning sessions. Christyan Sampy, Antonio Ruiz and Ben Percefull make up the trio of pole vaulters competing this weekend, after sweeping the podium in Tampa. Benjamin Okafor is the lone UH long jumper, set to make his first appearance at a regional. Houston is set to be well represented in the triple jump as Jadon Brome, Quinton Stringfellow and Caleb Malbrough are set for their first appearance at the West region prelims.
Triston Gibbons and Miles Marhofer are representing Houston on the throwing ring as Gibbons is set to compete in the Discus and the Shot Put. Marhofer is the lone Cougar in the Hammer Throw this week, competing in his first Division I regional.
FOLLOW THE COUGARS
Fans can keep up with the latest in University of Houston Cougar athletics by following us on Facebook (Facebook.com/HoustonAthletics), Twitter (@UHCougars), Instagram (houstoncougars) and YouTube.com (Youtube.com/UHAthletics). In addition, the Track & Field team has established its own official Facebook (facebook.com/UHCougarTF) and Twitter pages (@UHCougarTF).
SUPPORTING HOUSTON TRACK & FIELD AND CROSS COUNTRY
The Podium Club serves as a unique and effective way to enhance the level of excitement and support for Houston Cougar Track & Field and Cross Country. Gifts to the Podium Club provide financial support directly to the UH Track & Field and Cross Country programs for needs beyond their operating budgets. Donations made to the Podium Club are used at the discretion of the Head Coach.
Houston supporters interested in joining the Podium Club or for more information, please click here.
--UHCougars.com--
Players Mentioned
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