The New Mexico Highlands University Women’s Track and Field Team joined 20 teams from throughout the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains for the Colorado State University-Pueblo Invitational on April 15-17th. Teams from as far north as the Dakotas as well as Wyoming and Nebraska attended the chilly 42 degree meet at the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl Stadium and Throws complex.
The HU women emerged third in the team scoring behind Fort Hays and Black Hills State but ahead of RMAC conference foes Chadron State, UCCS, CSU-Pueblo, Mesa State and a host of other DI, DII and NAIA programs.
Senior
Carolina Garcia highlighted the meet with a new school record and personal best in the 5000 meter run. Garcia ran an altitude-adjusted 18:04 in winning the meet’s opening event. Teammate
Sandra Martinez placed second in the race, breaking 19 minutes for the first time in her career with an 18:46 clocking.
HU All-American
Angella Graham posted an NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the Triple Jump with an 11.90m leap. The mark moves Graham into the top 10 nationally in the triple jump, an event she placed third nationally indoors early this season.
Also turning in an outstanding performance was
Erica Smythe. The senior looks to be returning to All-Conference form as she placed second overall in the Javelin with a new personal record of 36.7 meters.
Season bests were also recorded by
Amy Tafoya in the 200 meters,
Kim Vandergeest in the High Jump and
Bhupinder Sandhu in the Triple Jump, despite the cold and windy conditions.
The women were scheduled to compete at the Colorado State meet in Fort Collins, CO this weekend, but predicted cold and raining conditions have pushed back the next competition for the Cowgirls to the Don Kirby Invite at the University of New Mexico on 5/1.
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