UTEP Track & Field set to compete at CUSA ITF Championships Feb. 28-March 1 in Lynchburg

2/27/2025 11:32:00 AM

CUSA ITF CHAMPIONSHIPS INFORMATION:
Championships Central | Schedule | Live Results | Stream: ESPN+ (FRIDAY | SATURDAY)

EL PASO – The UTEP track and field team will vie for a league title when the Miners compete at the 2025 Conference USA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Lynchburg, Va., hosted by Liberty at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex on Friday and Saturday.

Fans can catch the action on ESPN+ both days.

The two-day meet will begin on Friday with the combined events starting at 8 a.m. MST/10 EST, followed by the field events beginning at 11 a.m. MST/1 EST and the gun goes off for the track events at 1 p.m. MST/3 EST.

Saturday's combined events begin at 8:30 a.m. MST/10:30 EST, followed by the field events at 10 a.m. MST/12 EST and the track events at 12:00 p.m. MST/2 EST.

"We're excited to head into these Championships this weekend. Conference USA is probably the best Track & Field conference outside the power conferences," UTEP Director of Track & Field Mika Laaksonen said. "I expect us to be able to compete at our full potential, leave our best out there, and make the most out of this opportunity as a team. Based on season stats, Kennesaw State on the men's side and Liberty on the women's side appear to be the teams to beat. Our women's team has more depth and is a little more mature than our men's team. The women's squad has a better chance to get its team name at that top position for the final ranking of the season, which is the only one that matters!"

Competing for the no. 28-ranked women's squad are Loubna Benhadja (400, 4x4), Chinique Brown (400, DMR), Niesha Burgher (60, 200, 4x4), Praise Djoma (long jump, triple jump), Sarah Dovenbarger (pole vault), Ewa Peace (high jump, long jump), Lizbeth Fierro (shot put, weight throw), Samahdi Foster (200, 400), Ruth Jerubet (mile, 3000, DMR), Vallary Kiplagat (mile, 3000, DMR), Salma Licon (mile, 3000, DMR), Denae McFarlane (60), Natalie J. Murillo (weight throw), Samoya Neil (200, long jump), Esther Osisike (shot put, weight throw), Alla Parnov (pole vault), Marissa Simpson (60, 200, 60H), Addison Stricklin (60, 200), Rejoice Sule (60, 200, 4x4) and Princess Uche (400, 4x4).

Going for the men are Sebastian Avena (400, 4x4, DMR), Evan Avitia (mile), Jakub Belik (high jump), Oleksandr Blonskyi (high jump, pole vault, heptathlon), Alex Brown (long jump, triple jump), Harrison Canfield (pole vault), Stephen Carreto (400, 4x4, Joshua Hill (400, 4x4), Aleks Hristov (shot put, weight throw), Noah Jirgens (weight throw), Maxwell Kipkosgei (800, DMR), Juan Leal (mile, 3000), Julio Pacheco Estrada (400, 4x4), Mathew Polk (200, 400), Paul Rotich (3000, 5000), Kenneth Talavera (mile, 3000, DMR), Aron Tanui (800, mile, DMR), Zacarias Velasquez (long jump), Amir Williams (60, 200, 60H) and Jordani Woodley (60H).

THE LAST TIME
The UTEP women's team is looking for its first CUSA indoor championship since 2019, while the men's squad will work for its first since the 2014 campaign.

WOMEN'S RANKINGS
NATIONAL:
200m
2^nd | Niesha Burgher – 22.39

60m H
t-7^th | Marissa Simpson – 8.02

CUSA:
60m
1^st | Niesha Burgher – 7.22
4^th | Rejoice Sule – 7.44
6^th | Denae McFarlane – 7.51

200m
1^st | Niesha Burgher – 22.39
3^rd | Rejoice Sule – 23.41
4^th | Addison Stricklin – 23.79
5^th | Marissa Simpson – 23.95

400m
1^st | Princess Uche – 53.76
4^th | Niesha Burgher – 54.51
5^th | Loubna Benhadja – 54.69

Mile
t-5^th | Ruth Jerubet – 4:48.09@

3000m
3^rd | Ruth Jerubet – 9:24.30

60m H
1^st | Marissa Simpson – 8.02

4x4m Relay
2^nd | Uche, Benhadja, Sule, Burgher – 3:37.79

Pole Vault
1^st | Alla Parnov – 4.21m (13-9.75)
9^th | Sarah Dovenbarger – 3.71m (12-2)

Long Jump
1^st | Samoya Neil – 5.90m (19-4.25)
8^th | Praise Djoma – 5.65m (18-6.5)

Triple Jump
1^st | Praise Djoma – 12.44m (40-9.75)

Shot Put
6^th | Esther Osisike – 13.76m (45-1.75)

MEN'S RANKINGS
CUSA:
400m
2^nd | Julio Pacheco Estrada – 47.56
5^th | Joshua Hill – 47.84

Mile
1^st | Kenneth Talavera – 3:59.48

3000m
6^th | Kenneth Talavera – 8:08.99@

60H
4^th | Jordani Woodley – 7.83
7^th | Amir Williams – 7.97

High Jump
1^st | Jakub Belik – 2.12m (6-11.5)

Pole Vault
6^th | Harrison Canfield – 4.93m (16-2)

Shot Put
3^rd | Aleks Hristov – 16.45m (53-11.75)

Weight Throw
t-5^th | Aleks Hristov – 18.86m (61-10.5)

2025 UTEP INDOOR/OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD SCHEDULE

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