Gianluca Cuevas/UTEP Athletics

UTEP T&F Completes Day One at New Mexico Team Open Friday Night

1/26/2024 9:37:00 PM

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The UTEP track and field team concluded the first day of competition at the New Mexico Team Open in the Albuquerque Convention Center on Friday night.

UTEP freshman Xavier Butler concluded the evening by clocking in a personal-best 20.95 in the men's 200-meter dash and ranking first in Conference USA. He beat his previous best 21.21 in his UTEP debut at the Stan Scott Memorial on Jan. 13. Butler's time ranks tied fifth with Daniel Ward (2005) on the program's top-10 list.

Oriade Rashid clocked in a personal-best 21.27 in the men's 200m, ranking second in CUSA behind Butler.

Joyce Kemboi clocked in a personal-best 9:29.37 in the women's 3000m, placing second overall. Her time ranks second in CUSA.

Julio Pacheco Estrada posted a personal-best 47.45 in the men's 400m, finishing in second place overall. His time ranks no. 1 in CUSA.

Jakub Belik won his second straight high jump event of the season, leaping 2.09 meters (6-10.25). Belik ranks no. 1 in CUSA with a 2.10m (6-10.75) at the Stan Scott Memorial on Jan. 13. Overall, Jakub has won his third straight indoor HJ event dating back to last year's CUSA Championships.

Loubna Benhadja hit under 55 seconds for the first time in her indoor career in the 400-meter event with a personal-best 54.84 and a second-place showing. Her time ranks second in CUSA behind teammate Niesha Burgher's 54.35 done at the Stan Scott Memorial on Jan. 13.

Aleks Hristov posted a season-best 19.05m (62-5) in the men's weight throw. Hristov came into this weekend's meet ranked third in the weight throw with an 18.96 (62-2.5) at the Stan Scott.

Burgher clocked in a 23.18 in the women's 200m, placing second overall. She came close to tying her school-record 23.17 done last season. Burgher's time ranks first in CUSA.

Teammate Rejoice Sule finished with a personal-best 23.95 in the women's 200. Sule clocked in a 24.06 in her UTEP debut at the Stan Scott Memorial a few weeks back, as she entered the weekend ranked third in CUSA.

Jalen Cadet posted a personal-best 21.49 in the men's 200m, while teammate Mathew Polk also recorded a career-best with a 21.81. Cadet's and Polk's times rank in the top 10 in CUSA.

Freshman Ra'ianna Artmore improved from her mark in her UTEP debut a few weeks back, posting a 5.42-meter (17-9.5) leap in the long jump. She entered the meet ranked 16^th with a 5.08m. Her new mark ranks in the top 10 in CUSA.

Fellow freshman Noah Jirgens also improved following his debut on Jan. 13, posting a 17.23-meter (56-6) mark in the weight throw. Jirgens posted a 15.74m at the Stan Scott, as his new mark ranks in the top 10 in CUSA.

SATURDAY'S DAY TWO QUICK PREVIEW
Saturday's field events will begin at 8:30 a.m. with the women's pole vault. UTEP will commence field action with Esther Osisike and Karen Villa Medina competing in the women's shot put starting at 9:30 a.m. The gun goes off for the track events at 10:30 a.m. starting with Jordani Woodley, Jalen Cadet and Oleksandr Blonskyi running the men's 60-meter hurdles preliminaries.

The meet will conclude with the men's 4x400m relay at 3:05 p.m., while the women's 4x400 will wrap up the weekend at 3:30 p.m.

LIVE RESULTS | MEET SCHEDULE

2024 UTEP INDOOR TRACK & FIELD SCHEDULE
Jan. 13             Texas Tech Stan Scott Memorial         Lubbock, Texas
Jan. 26-27        New Mexico Team Open                     Albuquerque, N.M.
Feb. 9-10         Texas Tech Jarvis Scott Open               Lubbock, Texas
Feb. 23-24       CUSA ITF Championships                    Lynchburg, Va.
March 8-9       NCAA ITF Championships                   Boston, Mass.

For complete coverage of UTEP Track & Field/Cross Country, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPTrack (Twitter/Instagram/Facebook) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.

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