Lumberjacks Impress at Indoor Season Opener in Flagstaff

RESULTS

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (January 10, 2019) - Northern Arizona University's track & field program opened up the 2020 indoor season on Friday at the annual Friday Night Duals meet held in Flagstaff at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome.

"We were excited to get the 2020 indoor season underway," said Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Michael Smith. "It was great getting to see and assess the progress of everything our athletes have worked at during the fall semester."

The NAU men entered the weekend as the No. 26 ranked team in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's (USTFCCCA) Preseason Rating Index, as well as the preseason favorite in the Big Sky Conference's Coaches' Poll after receving nine first-place votes. NAU's women's team placed second in the conference poll with four first-place votes.

The University of Arizona, Arizona State, California State Los Angeles, CSU Bakersfield, Grand Canyon University, UCLA and UNLV made up NAU's collegiate competition for the one day meet.

Northern Arizona had seven top-three performances throughout the afternoon and evening in the six events: 

• William Beaudry led the 'Jacks in the throws as he placed first in the Men's Weight Throw with a mark of 19.27m; Kevin Cooney placed second in that event with a mark of 19.21m. Beaudry set a new PR in the weight throw beating his former PR of 18.43m. At the time of publication Beaudry ranks 25th in the nation in that event, with Cooney slightly behind at 26th.
• Melanie Loff ran in the Women's 600m Run for the first time in her collegiate career and came in third with a time of 1:37.92.
• Carter Bracken set a new PR in the Men's 60m Hurdles with a time of 8.11, toping his previous best of 8.24 set at the 2018 Big Sky Conference Indoor Championships.
• Miracle Onyemaobi and Jada Jackson had strong 200m Dash showings posting times of 25.07 and 25.13, respectively.
• Parker Joens placed third in the Men's Shot Put with a mark of 17.22m; Jake Arnold was close behind taking fifth with a throw good for 16.60m. Joens is currently ranked 35th in the country in the shot put, Arnold sits at 52nd.
• True freshmen Alaina Diggs and Carly Watts opened their collegiate careers with marks of 13.89m and 13.71m in the Women's Shot Put to place fourth and fifth, respectively.
• Cameron Rayford jumped for a mark of 7.01m to place fourth in the Men's Long Jump.
• Tyren Wolfe placed seventh in the Men's 60m Dash (6.82)

Along with Diggs and Watts multiple freshmen and newcomers on both the men's and women's squads competed for the first time attached to NAU setting new collegiate meet bests. Notable performances were as follows:

• Kenya Coburn placed tenth in the Women's 60m Dash Finals (7.65) and 16th in the Women's Long Jump (5.00m)
• Kenashalee Kerr came in seventh-place in the Women's Long Jump (5.42m)
• Laurel Taylor had a nice kick at the end of her heat in the Women's 200m Dash to take tenth-place (25.65)
• Madeline Wilson placed seventh in the Women's 60m Hurdles Finals (8.95), eighth in the Women's 200m Dash (25.49) and 13th in the Women's Long Jump (5.12m)
• Tuipala Koa was the third-place finisher in the Men's 60m Hurdles Finals (8.24)
• Erick Thompson placed tenth in the Men's 60m Dash Finals (6.89) and sixth in the Men's 200m Dash (22.08)
• Jack Normand jumped for a mark of 6.73m to take sixth in the Men's Long Jump
• Hylton Joseph was just seconds ahead of Thompson in the Men's 200m Dash to take fourth (22.04), he also placed ninth in the Men's 60m Dash Finals (6.85)

The NAU distance squads kept it light during the indoor season opening meet, with Loff and teammate Dana Padget as the only distance runners to lace it up on Friday.

Lumberjack track & field will return next Friday, January 17 for the Lumberjack Team Challenge meet which will also be held at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome with a tentative start time of 2:00 P.M. (MST).