ARLINGTON, Texas – The UT Arlington track and field teams kicked off the outdoor season at Maverick Stadium with the annual UTA Invitational.
 
After the first day was sidelined due to weather conditions, the meet kicked off on Friday morning with a full slate of events. 
 
The Mavericks had several top-three finishes throughout the competition highlighted by Simona Cabella taking gold in the women's pole vault with a mark of 3.94-meters. The mark is not only the junior's outdoor personal best, but it's also the 4th highest vault in program history. Freshman Sophia Allen placed second in the women's pole vault in her first ever outdoor meet with a 3.64-meters leap.
 
In the men's pole vault, the Mavs took the top three spots led by Randon Gray who finished 1st with a mark of 5.30-meters, his mark is the 2nd highest pole vault in school history. Senior Scott Frazier placed 2nd with a mark of 4.85-meters while Brady Shadrick took 3rd with a leap of 4.70-meters.
 
In the women's javelin throw, the Mavs had the top three finishers led by freshman Khya Walton. She took 1st with a throw of 39.41-meters in her first outdoor action of her collegiate career. Allissa Rodriguez finished 2nd with a mark of 36.30-meters while Jade Bontke rounded out the top three, coming in 3rd with an outdoor personal-record of 32.95-meters. In the men's javelin throw, Shadrick finished 2nd with a throw of 54.34-meters. Luke Bontke took home the bronze with an outdoor personal-best throw of 52.22-meters.
 
Freshman Madison Watkins claimed the gold in the women's long jump with a personal-best of 5.25-meters in her first collegiate action. Faith Shaw took 2nd with a jump of 5.25-meters while McKinley Novacek came in 3rd with a jump of 5.22-meters. On the men's side, Obi Ugwu finished 1st with a jump of 6.83-meters. Freshmen Zion Allen and Tobi Adefusi finished in 2nd and 3rd respectively with outdoor personal records. Allen placed 2nd with a mark of 6.74-meters and Adefusi came in 3rd with a mark of 6.59-meters.
 
In the women's high jump, the Mavs claimed the top three spots on the podium led by Kaliah Jones who came in 1st with a jump of 1.67-meters. Sophomore Demaya Malone placed 2nd with an outdoor personal best of 1.62-meters while Novacek rounded out the top three with a mark of 1.62-meters. On the men's side, Miles Jones placed 2nd with an outdoor personal-best jump of 1.95-meters.
 
Marvin Walford took the top spot at the podium in the men's triple jump with a mark of 14.44-meters. Rounding out the field events was the men's shot put, with the Mavs claiming two of the top three spots. Hayden Wilson claimed the gold with a throw of 16.66-meters while Desmond Fraizer grabbed the bronze with a throw of 15.60-meters.
 
Matro Jepkemboi continued her dominant freshman season by claiming the gold in the women's 3000-meter run as well as the women's 1500-meter run. In her first outdoor action of her career, Jepkemboi finished with a time of 10:01.51 in the 3000 while finishing the 1500 with a time of 4:32.06. On the men's side of the 3000-meter run, Rogelio Aguirre led the charge for the Mavs, taking 1st with a time of 8:28.03. Josue Granados was not far behind, coming in 2nd with a time of 8:29.35. Aguirre also claimed the bronze in the men's 1500-meter run with a time of 3:55.32.
 
In his first collegiate outdoor season, freshman Eli England took home the bronze in the men's 200-meter dash, an event that had over 50 competitors. England finished with a time of 21.09. On the women's side, the Mavs claimed the top four spots, highlighted by Madison Pippins who took home the gold with a time of 24.34. Alexis Cain placed 2nd with an outdoor personal-best of 24.42 while freshman Esther Shaba came in 3rd in her first collegiate action, finishing with a personal-best of 24.85. Jade Bontke rounded out the top four with a time of 24.90.
 
Zaire Moore claimed the gold in the women's 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:01.40, just short of besting her outdoor personal record. Junior Devien Davis took home the gold in the men's 400-meter hurdles with a time of 55.18, a new collegiate personal-best for him.
 
In the women's 400-meter dash, Alexis Cain claimed the gold with an outdoor personal-best of 56.00 flat. On the men's side, freshman Javaris Bonner placed 3rd with an outdoor personal record of 47.51.
 
Freshman Emilia Mandl claimed the silver in the women's 800-meter run with an outdoor personal record of 2:15.86. 
 
In the women's 100-meter dash, Madison Pippins came in 1st with a time of 11.62 while Adeyemi Talabi finished 3rd with a time of 11.66. On the men's side, Brian Brown placed 2nd with a time of 10.44 while Eli England came in 3rd with a time of 10.45.
 
In the men's 110-meter hurdles, the Mavs claimed two of the top three spots highlighted by Lucas Van Klaveren claiming the gold with a time of 14.25. Cameron Macon claimed the bronze with a time of 14.55. In the women's 100-meter hurdles, Jade Bontke took 2nd with a time of 14.24.
 
In the women's 3000-meter steeplechase, the Mavs took the top two spots highlighted by Lauren Walls-Portillo with a time of 11:44.09. In just her third ever time running the steeplechase at the collegiate level, Walls-Portillo took home the gold. Freshman Kassandra Jimenez claimed the silver with a time of 12:00.59 in her first collegiate outdoor event. On the men's side, Tanner Henderson took home silver with a time of 10:03.38 while Brandon Wilk took home the bronze with a time of 10:08.96.
 
In the men's 4x100-meter relay, the team consisting of Robert Griffin, Khalid Mendez, Adam Herrera and Eli England took 2nd with a time of 40.84. The men's 4x400-meter relay team consisting of Jayden Blakey, Luke Bontke, Levi Bontke and Javaris Bonner took the top spot with a time of 3:22.23.
 
THOUGHTS FROM COACH 
"It was nice to get our first outdoor meet in the books," said Head Coach John Sauerhage. "Simona Cabella's 3.94 pole vault, Randon Gray's 5.30 pole vault was one of the many highlights along with Matro Jepkemboi and Eli England continuing to compete very well in their first collegiate seasons."
 
NEXT UP
The Mavs will be back in action next Friday and Saturday, March 15-16, when they travel to Fort Worth to compete in the TCU Alumni Invitational.
 
– #BuckEm –
 
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