4×400 team posts a time of 3:35.78, eclipsing previous mark by nearly four seconds.
Source: New Mexico State University Athletics
Article and Photo by Emilio Garcia for NMStateSports.com
TUCSON, Ariz. – It isn’t called the ‘Wild West’ for just any reason. Anything can happen; the improbable can become possible. With mostly cloudy and moderately cool weather on day two of the Willie Williams Classic, hosted by the University of Arizona, the Aggies stayed red-hot, opening the day with a school record in the 4×100 meter relay, and ending the afternoon with a school record in the 4x400m relay. Along with a pair of record-breaking performances, several other members of NM State showed out strong in the outdoor season opener.
Getting the second and final day of action underway with the 4×100 relay, the quartet of Sierra Brewer, Jhana Downie, Grace Pendarvis and Mickaliliah Vassell put together a school-record time of 44.64 seconds – finishing in first place in the process. This bests the previous fastest time of 44.66 that has been held since 2018.
The 100m hurdles followed suit, with none other than Aliyah Logan crossing the line first with a time of 13.55. This marks Logan’s fastest season-opening time in her career. Breanna Moss tallied a new personal best in the event, posting a time of 14.36 to take fifth, with Cameron Hodges doing the same to take 10th.
After helping the 4×100 team break the school record to begin the day, Jhana Downie took on the 400m dash solo, taking third with a time of 53.45. This is the quickest result to open an outdoor season for the Senior from Sunrise, Fla. in her NM State career.
Pulling double duty, sophomore and El Paso native Aileen Alvarado competed in both the high jump and the triple jump, competing in the latter for the first time as a member of the Crimson & White. In the high jump, Alvarado tied her personal best of 1.60m (5-3″), set at the 2023 edition of the Willie Williams Classic. Going back and forth across Roy P. Drachman stadium between flights in both events, Alvardo would eventually foul out in the triple jump.
Cameron Hodges joined Alvarado in the triple jump, finishing in 10th with a final mark of 1.49m (37-8.50″).
The final field event of the weekend, the discus played host to a quartet of Aggies including Makiya Moore, who put together a mark of 49.44m (162-2″) to finish in third. Alesha Lane joined Moore in the top ten, taking seventh after posting a final distance of 42.61m (139-9″). Freshman Kamryn Cadle concluded her successful weekend by posting a personal best result of 41.24m (135-4″) to take 10th – Cadle posted personal bests in the discus, shot put (13.75m) and hammer throw (44.86m). Fellow freshman Ladina Kobler also tallied a new personal record with a distance of 39.50m (129-7″).
The 800m run featured Thobile Amon, taking a fifth-place result after posting a time of 2:10.26. Jahnya Hill took 12th with a personal best time of 2:17.42, while Marlene Mosqueda closed her weekend with a personal record time of 2:20.55.
Sierra Brewer paced the team in the 100m dash, finishing with a time of 11.70 to finish in ninth.
The largest and final event for the Aggies, the 4x400m relays featured a trio of teams, two comprised of sprint athletes, and a third with a majority group of distance runners. Competing in section one, the quartet of Jody Blackwood, Thobile Amon, Nia Allison and Marlene Mosqueda posted a time of 3:59.81. Joined by host Arizona, the Aggies were one of two teams to have multiple entries in section two. The foursome of Jahnya Hill, Grace Pendarvis, Thulisile Amon and Sierra Brewermanaged a sixth-place result with a time of 3:47.99.
Closing the weekend, the ‘A’ team of Terice Steen, Breanna Moss, Jhana Downie and Mickaliliah Vassell ran away from the competition – and the NM State record book – convincingly taking first over second-place Arizona with a time of 3:35.78. This time bests the previous mark set at the 2023 Desert Heat Classic (3:39.39), also hosted by the University of Arizona.
For complete coverage of NM State Track & Field, visit NMStateSports.com – the official home of Aggie athletics – and follow us on Twitter (@NMStateXCTF), Instagram (@NMStateXCTF), and like us on Facebook (NMStateTrackXC).
