Sophomore Louie Hinchliffe edges out Auburn’s Favour Ashe and Kanyinsola Ajayi to claim Cougar’s first 100-meter championship since 2018. | Courtesy of UH Athletics
Houston sophomore and First Team All-American Louie Hinchliffe made history at the NCAA Track & Field National Championships with his 9.95 mark in the men’s 100-meter and became the Cougar’s first individual title winner since 2019.
The British sprinter is the first European to win the contest and secured the fourth-best time in UH history. He joins Houston’s six previous 100-meter champions, including head coach Carl Lewis (1981), Stanley Floyd (1982), Joe Deloach (1988), Leroy Burrell (1990), Samuel Jefferson (1994) and Cameron Burrell (2018).
“My legacy will live on… It’s what I have been working for,” Hinchliffe said. “To have my name with those guys and be in the conversation up there is surreal.”
The team collected 30.5 points to claim sixth overall in the team standings.
“I’m a bit surprised that we made this many strides this quick,” Lewis said. “It’s difficult because we are competing against guys that are using NIL to buy teams. That’s not our system. Our system is to develop.”
On Thursday, senior Christyan Sampy took home bronze with a 5.52-meter mark in the men’s pole vault, and made the Cougar’s all-time best finish and First Team All-American honors.
All Americans, Hinchliffe, senior Shaun Maswanganyi, senior Ireon Brown and freshman Cayden Broadnax kicked off Saturday’s action, claiming bronze in the men’s 4×100-meter relay. Their 38.25 finish marked a season-best and put them second overall in UH history.
Maswanganyi rounded out his collegiate career with First Team All-American honors in the men’s 100 and 200-meter heats. The South African finished seventh in the 100-meter with a time of 10.05 and sixth in the 200-meter with a 20.25 finish.
Senior De’Vion Wilson, Houston’s 110-meter hurdles record holder, took fifth in the final with a time of 13.36 to claim First Team All-American honors.
An 11th place 16.06-meter jump secured senior David Ajama Second Team All-American honors in the men’s triple jump.
Freshman Antrea Mita finished 17th with a height clearance of 2.12 meters in the men’s high jump.
Today, the women will close out the track season when Graduate Sydni Townsend competes in the 400-meter hurdles at 5:57 p.m. and joins graduate Kelly-Ann Beckford, senior Iman Babineaux and freshman Michaela Mouton in the 4×400-meter relay at 6:51 p.m. in Eugene.
