The UH track and field competed in a two-day event at the Texas A&M Invitational on Friday and Saturday. | Courtesy of UH athletics
After two days of tough competition against talented programs at the Texas A&M Invitational, the Houston track and field team managed to pick up a total of four individual first-place finishes and 15 podium finishes.
Friday’s slate of events showed a slow start to the meet for the Cougars, posting only three podium finishes to conclude the first day of action.
Graduate student Nora Monie grabbed a first-place finish on the first event of the meet with a throw of 56.60 meters in the women’s discus throw.
Senior Sarah Howe followed up with a third-place finish in the women’s pole vault after posting a personal best of 4.03 meters.
In the men’s 400-meter hurdles, junior Quivell Jordan picked up a third-place finish of his own, clocking in a time of 52.47.
Other top-five finishes in Friday’s events included freshman Macie Ellis (fifth) with a time of 19:27.22 in the women’s 5000-meter run and freshman Imari Chatman (fifth) at 1:01.35 in the women’s 400-meter hurdles.
On Saturday’s field events, sophomore Christyan Sampy saw the podium after picking up a third-place finish in the men’s pole vault at 5.21 meters.
In the women’s hammer throw, seniors Mikaila Martin and Taylor Scaife took first and second-places respectively as they posted personal bests, including a facility record of 66.71 and 64.00 meters.
Junior Miles Marhofer grabbed a third-place finish in the men’s hammer throw as he recorded a personal best throw of 60.68 meters.
Sophomore Triston Gibbons picked up the Cougars’ second first-place finish of the day in the men’s shot put with a toss of 18.73 meters, while sophomore Nu’uausala Tuilefano finished in third in the women’s shot put at 15.07 meters.
The UH women’s 4×100 meter relay team started the action for Saturday’s running events, finishing second with a time of 44.52.
Sophomore Devin Vallejo picked up a second-place finish in the men’s 1500-meter run, clocking in a personal best time of 3:50.19.
Senior Meredith Sorensen grabbed a victory in the women’s 3000-meter steeplechase with a time of 11:11.50, as sophomore Madeline Castleberry trailed not far behind for a third-place finish at 11:25.13.
To close out the last day of the event, the men’s and women’s 4×400 meter relay teams picked up second and third-place finishes with times of 3:08.71 and 3:40.22, respectively.
The UH track and field team will now travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to compete in the Boots Garland Invitational from April 16-17.
