After record-breaking performances at the Husky Classic in Seattle, Wash., over the weekend, UC Riverside’s track and field program continued to set the tone for a solid 2015 season.
The Valentine’s Day meet commenced with the jumping events. Danielle Littleton had a big day with a final fourth-place mark of 5.67m in the women’s long jump. Breana Jemison threw a solid fifth-place distance of 14.81m in the shot put, beating her previous school record of 14.78m.
Littleton continued to dominate for the Highlanders with a first-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles, putting up a final time of 8.39. Following close behind Littleton in the preliminary heat, freshman Taylor Fleming earned her first collegiate marks with a 9.02. Amber Wright took a humble top 20 spot in the women’s 400 with a 56.64, just shy of her 2014 indoor school record. Noelle Abboud followed Wright with a 56.72.
Michael Koger ran a 48.76, taking eighth in the men’s 400, 0.3 seconds off his 2014 school record of 48.44. Freshman Justin Parker came out of the blocks hot with a 49.22 in his first collegiate indoor race.
Asha Giles had another powerful day on the track running a 7.73 in the women’s 60. Camille Deadwiler came in just before Abboud’s 7.80 finish with a 7.75.
Closing the eventful weekend off, the Highlanders performed well in the crowd favorite 4×400 relay. The men’s team was three seconds off the 3:13.01 school record set in 2012 as they took fourth this year at 3:16.78 with a team made up of Dylan Gates, Michael Pare, Parker and Koger. The women’s relay squad placed in seventh at 3:50.30 with Regina Bowman, Jazmine Harper, Abboud and Wright.
Next up, the team is back in Flagstaff, Ariz. for the Northern Arizona University Last Chance meet on Feb. 20.
