Lone Star Conference Indoor Track and Field athletes have recorded eight NCAA Division II Automatic qualifying marks (5 men, three women) and 60 provisional efforts (35 men, 25 women). See the LSC performance list here:
https://www.tfrrs.org/lists/2814.html
The 2020 LSC Indoor Track and Field Championships will be held at the Texas Tech Sports Performance Center in Lubbock, Texas on February 21-22. For more information visit:
https://lonestarconference.org/tournaments/?id=26.
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Desmond Aryee, West Texas A&M, FR, Sports and Exercise Science, Accra, Ghana
Aryee ran the second-fastest 60-meter dash time in program history this past weekend at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic in Albuquerque, N.M. After running 6.81 to qualify for the final, the freshman ran 6.80 (6.78 converted for altitude) in the final to finish fourth and move up to 14th in the nation. He also competed in the 200-meters finishing ninth in the unseeded section running 22.21 (22.14 converted for altitude).
MEN’S FIELD
Johnathon Harper, Texas A&M-Kingsville, JR, Mechanical Engineering, Lorena, Texas, Lorena HS
Harper put on a show for the Javelinas over the weekend at the Bearcat Open as he set facility and meet records in the heptathlon with 5561 points en route to his second NCAA automatic qualifying mark of the indoor season. Harper started his competition with a second-place finish in the 60m sprint at 7.07 for 858 points, followed up with top finishes in the long jump (23-1.25 [7.04m]) and the shot put (44-4 [13.51m]) for 823 and 698 points, respectively, closed day one with a third-place finish in the high jump at 6-0 (1.83m) for 653 points. Day two featured three top-finishes for the Lorena, Texas, native as he clocked in at 8.33 in the 60m hurdles for 705 points, added a 15-5.75 (4.72m) in the pole vault for 825 points and closed the heptathlon with a time of 2:46.41 in the 1000m run for 804 points. Harper's 5561 in the heptathlon currently slots him third on the descending order list in NCAA Division II and set a new personal best for the second-highest score in program history in the event.
WOMEN’S TRACK
Leah Belfield, West Texas A&M, FR, Sports and Exercise Science, Te Awamutu, New Zealand, Te Awamutu
Belfield was the top NCAA DII finisher in the women's 200-meters at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic in Albuquerque, N.M. this past weekend. The freshman finished 24th running the 10th fastest time in program history, 24.62 (24.55 converted for altitude). That is the 12th fastest time in the nation this season. She also ran a leg on the 4x400-meter relay that ran 3:49.81 (3:49.37 converted for altitude), which is the second-fastest time in the LSC and 14th in the nation.
WOMEN’S FIELD
Fatim Affessi, West Texas A&M, SR, Psychology, Geneva, Switzerland, University of Geneva
Affessi now leads the nation in the triple jump following her performance this past weekend at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic in Albuquerque, N.M. The senior finished second in a field full of Division I student-athletes with her automatic qualifying mark of 41-11.25 (12.78m). That is the ninth-best mark in school history and is the farthest jump in NCAA DII women's track & field by more than five inches.
WEEKLY AWARDS
Men’s Track
D-9 Arnaud Taki, West Texas A&M
J-21 Nicodemus Rotich, Texas A&M-Commerce
J-28 Jahmaal Wilson, West Texas A&M
F-5 Benjamin Azamati, West Texas A&M
F-12 Desmond Aryee, West Texas A&M
Men’s Field
D-9 Dhanushka Sandaruwan, West Texas A&M
J-21 Trivett Jones, Angelo State
J-28 Tyler Pickens, West Texas A&M
F-5 Decio Andrade, Angelo State
F-12 Johnathon Harper, Texas A&M-Kingsville
Women’s Track
D-9 Leah Belfield, West Texas A&M
J-21 Minna Svaerd, Texas A&M-Commerce
J-28 Leah Belfield, West Texas A&M (2)
F-5 Faith Roberson, Angelo State
F-12 Leah Belfield, West Texas A&M (3)
Women’s Field
D-9 Miriam Zanovello, West Texas A&M
J-21 Fatim Affessi, West Texas A&M
J-28 Taylor Nelloms, West Texas A&M
F-5 Zada Swoopes, West Texas A&M
F-12 Fatim Affessi, West Texas A&M (2)
OTHER TOP PERFORMERS
Diego Pettorossi, Angelo State, hit a provisional mark in the 60 meter dash at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic with a time of 6.82 seconds. He finished with the second best LSC time in the 200 meter dash with a time of 21.84 seconds.
Eduardo Gutierrez, Cameron, was one of the top runners for the Aggies as they competed in the University of Oklahoma JD Martin Invitational last Saturday. The junior from Hondo, Texas recorded two top-10 finishes, placing 10th in the mile with a time of 4:27.88 (4:31.29 converted for track size) and third in the 3000m run with a time of 8:50.78 (8:56.95 converted for track size) . Gutierrez's mile time was a personal best, while he was just a second behind his personal best in the 3000m.
Ray Dixon, West Texas A&M, continues to rewrite the record book at WT as the sophomore recorded the third-best mark in program history in the weight throw this past weekend in New Mexico. He now owns the top three marks the event after his toss of 55-7.75 (16.96m) en route to a seventh-place finish. He also finished 11th in the shot put with a mark of 47-9.75 (14.57m).
Mercy Rotich, Eastern New Mexico, still holds the number one spot in the Lone Star Conference in the woman's mile and 3000-meter. Rotich competed in the New Mexico Collegiate Classic this past weekend where she recorded a personal best 3000-meter time of 9:44.55, placing her an arm’s length ahead of LSC competitors. Rotich has also broken Greyhound history running 0:00.71 seconds faster than the previous record holder.
Sara Ramos, Angelo State, broke the school record again in the weight throw at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic this past weekend with a distance of 56-1.75 (17.11m). She hit a provisional mark and leads the conference in weight throw.