Men earn top indoor national track and field nationals spot since 2010 with tie for 8th; women 24th
Lubbock, Texas – Led by pole vault national champion Kyle Downley, the Mesa men's track and field team posted its best indoor national title meet finish in nine years, tying for eighth place at the NJCAA meet Friday and Saturday. Mesa tied with Western Texas for eighth with 38 points. The women placed 24th.
MCC had the best finish since the 2009-10 season when it was fifth and the second best since a seventh place finish in 2001-02.
Downey cleared 4.95 meters to win MCC's fifth pole vault championship in the last 11 years. Meanwhile, Eric Cochran placed eighth at 4.50 meters in the same event.
T-Bird athletes also took two spots in the weight throw and shot put. Cameron Lewis took third place in the weight at 59-6 ¾ and Nikaeus Hale-Mercer was sixth with a toss of 56-2 ¼. Lewis was fifth in the shot with a distance of 54-8 ¼ and Hale-Mercer sixth at 53-1 ½.
Antwan Ross-Jones grabbed third in the high jump while clearing seven feet.
Luke Jernigan took sixth in the 1000 in 2:34.21.
The 4x800 meter relay team of Tristin Stellmach, Carlos Bugdad Bueno, Jernigan and Idris Konzivenet finished seventh in 7:53.81.
For the women, Justice Angel tied for sixth place in the pole vault at 3.30 meters and the 4x800 meter relay team of Madeline Ambrosio, Alexandra Louis, Kara Dale and Quinn Johnson was seventh in 9:59.66.