Friday, January 20
Houston, Texas
University of Houston
vs
Robert Platt Invitational
Cougars Claim 14 Titles Friday
1/20/2023 11:38:00 PM | Track and Field
Houston student-athletes win 12 individual, two relay titles at inaugural Robert Platt Invitational
HOUSTON – The Houston track and field team won 14 titles on Friday night at the inaugural Robert Platt Invitational, honoring the late Cougar pole vaulter, in Yeoman Fieldhouse.
For the second-straight meet, hurdlers De'Vion Wilson and Destiny Smith won the 60-meter hurdles. Wilson and Smith each posted the top times in prelims and won the event handily. Wilson's 7.80 second time is a season-best and ranks tied-13th nationally.
The Cougars swept the triple jump, with Quinton Stringfellow's mark of 14.65 meters holding up from his first jump of the event and Destiny Lawrence's first attempt of finals at 12.27 meters proving to be just enough for the win.
Both of Houston's 1,600-meter relay teams won the final event of the night. The women's team of Iman Babineaux, Cesley Williams, Paris Baker and Kelly-Ann Beckford ran the four legs of the relay in 3 minutes, 52.31 seconds.
The men's relay of Trey Johnson, Adam Mason, Jordan Booker and Trey East III won the relay in 3:15.51.
Mason and Beckford started their winning ways earlier in the meet by winning the 800-meter run in the men's and women's races, respectively. Mason win by 0.60 seconds at 1:53.54 and Beckford won by 0.29 seconds in 2:09.30.
After a third-place finish in her first collegiate meet, Aubrey Tupper elevated her game by winning her first collegiate meet with a 3.56-meter leap in the pole vault, a season-best mark.
East, who ran a leg of the winning 1,600 relay, won the 400-meter dash in a season-best time with a top 25 time of 47.52 seconds.
After winning the 800-meter run a week ago, Devin Vallejo-Bannister won the mile, leading a Cougar one-two finish with fellow distance runner Brandon Seagreaves.
Aaron Bell led a sweep of the 60-meter dash as the Cougars went one-two-three with Bell, Edward Sumler IV and Christian Hamberlin. Bell and Hamberlin also placed top three in the 200-meter dash.
Cecilia Tamayo-Garza (200) and Alexis Tilford-Rutherford (long jump) each won their first events of the year as well.
UP NEXT
Houston will host its third home meet in as many weeks when it hosts the Houston Invitational on Jan. 27 inside Yeoman Fieldhouse.
ABOUT ROBERT PLATT
The University of Houston community lost a beloved friend and teammate on June 26, 2019, when Robert Platt Jr. passed away. Robert was a pole vaulter for the Houston Track & Field program, competing in 24 meets for the Cougars. Prior to coming to Houston, he attended George Ranch High School and earned a third-place finish at the 6A State Championships during his senior season. Outside of athletics, Robert Platt Jr. was an active member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity at Houston.
His mother, Kaddie Platt, led the Houston Volleyball program from 2012 to 2019.
SUPPORT HOUSTON RISE
Join Houston Rise, a $150 million fundraising campaign for Houston Athletics dedicated to championship success in the Big 12 Conference. Every Houston Rise contribution prepares our Cougars to compete and win when we start Big 12 competition in July 2023. Click here to rise and be counted.
JOIN the PODIUM CLUB
The Podium Club serves as a unique and effective way to enhance the level of excitement and support for Houston Cougar Track and Field and Cross Country. Gifts to the Podium Club provide financial support directly to the programs for needs beyond their operating budgets.
Donations made to the Podium Club are used at the discretion of the head coach. For more information or to sign up, click here. To join the Podium Club, fans may call Cougar Pride at 713-743-GoUH (4687).
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates on #HTownSpeedCity by following @UHCougarTF on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarTF or on the team's Instagram page at @uhcougartf.
For the second-straight meet, hurdlers De'Vion Wilson and Destiny Smith won the 60-meter hurdles. Wilson and Smith each posted the top times in prelims and won the event handily. Wilson's 7.80 second time is a season-best and ranks tied-13th nationally.
The Cougars swept the triple jump, with Quinton Stringfellow's mark of 14.65 meters holding up from his first jump of the event and Destiny Lawrence's first attempt of finals at 12.27 meters proving to be just enough for the win.
Both of Houston's 1,600-meter relay teams won the final event of the night. The women's team of Iman Babineaux, Cesley Williams, Paris Baker and Kelly-Ann Beckford ran the four legs of the relay in 3 minutes, 52.31 seconds.
The men's relay of Trey Johnson, Adam Mason, Jordan Booker and Trey East III won the relay in 3:15.51.
Mason and Beckford started their winning ways earlier in the meet by winning the 800-meter run in the men's and women's races, respectively. Mason win by 0.60 seconds at 1:53.54 and Beckford won by 0.29 seconds in 2:09.30.
After a third-place finish in her first collegiate meet, Aubrey Tupper elevated her game by winning her first collegiate meet with a 3.56-meter leap in the pole vault, a season-best mark.
East, who ran a leg of the winning 1,600 relay, won the 400-meter dash in a season-best time with a top 25 time of 47.52 seconds.
After winning the 800-meter run a week ago, Devin Vallejo-Bannister won the mile, leading a Cougar one-two finish with fellow distance runner Brandon Seagreaves.
Aaron Bell led a sweep of the 60-meter dash as the Cougars went one-two-three with Bell, Edward Sumler IV and Christian Hamberlin. Bell and Hamberlin also placed top three in the 200-meter dash.
Cecilia Tamayo-Garza (200) and Alexis Tilford-Rutherford (long jump) each won their first events of the year as well.
UP NEXT
Houston will host its third home meet in as many weeks when it hosts the Houston Invitational on Jan. 27 inside Yeoman Fieldhouse.
ABOUT ROBERT PLATT
The University of Houston community lost a beloved friend and teammate on June 26, 2019, when Robert Platt Jr. passed away. Robert was a pole vaulter for the Houston Track & Field program, competing in 24 meets for the Cougars. Prior to coming to Houston, he attended George Ranch High School and earned a third-place finish at the 6A State Championships during his senior season. Outside of athletics, Robert Platt Jr. was an active member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity at Houston.
His mother, Kaddie Platt, led the Houston Volleyball program from 2012 to 2019.
SUPPORT HOUSTON RISE
Join Houston Rise, a $150 million fundraising campaign for Houston Athletics dedicated to championship success in the Big 12 Conference. Every Houston Rise contribution prepares our Cougars to compete and win when we start Big 12 competition in July 2023. Click here to rise and be counted.
JOIN the PODIUM CLUB
The Podium Club serves as a unique and effective way to enhance the level of excitement and support for Houston Cougar Track and Field and Cross Country. Gifts to the Podium Club provide financial support directly to the programs for needs beyond their operating budgets.
Donations made to the Podium Club are used at the discretion of the head coach. For more information or to sign up, click here. To join the Podium Club, fans may call Cougar Pride at 713-743-GoUH (4687).
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates on #HTownSpeedCity by following @UHCougarTF on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarTF or on the team's Instagram page at @uhcougartf.
– UHCougars.com –
Players Mentioned
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Hurdles
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Sprints/Distance
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Sprint
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Jumps
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Sprints
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Distance
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Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Jumps
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Pole Vault
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Distance
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Sprints
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Hurdles
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