FORT WORTH, TX - The TXWES Rams track and field teams were at two meets at the same time this weekend, and both meets produced new national qualifiers, school records, and event winners.
The Rams decathletes, heptathletes, and a high jumper went to the Oklahoma Baptist University Invitational. A group of distance runners, sprinters, and throwers went to the Texas Relays in Austin, TX.
At the OBU Invitational in Shawnee, OK, the decathletes and heptathletes had a great two-day meet with Logan Rogers leading the way, winning the men's decathlon with a new personal best of 6084 points. That total moves him to #1 on the current NAIA performance list and also sets a new school record. Teammates Quentin Fankhouser and Hayden Boydsten also set personal bests, finishing 3rd and 4th with 5740 points and 5626 points, respectively. Those two marks also rank them 5th and 6th nationally and currently make the Rams men's decathletes ranked 1, 5 and 6 overall nationally.
The ladies in the heptathlon also both had excellent meets, with Chioma Obi finishing second overall with 3672 points and Kenna Conner finishing third overall with 3650 points. Those marks rank them first and second in the SAC conference, and they are currently in the top 20 in the NAIA. Obi's mark is a new school record as well.
"The heps and decs both had a great meet at OBU and Coach Cox has to be really excited about their performances! Those types of marks will bring us big points at the SAC meet as well as put some of them in the running to qualify for NAIA nationals. They'll all get at least one more shot at a heptathlon or decathlon, and then the top 16 in the nation in each event qualify for nationals once the qualifying window is closed," explained Head Coach Randy Dalzell.
Also, high jumping in the men's open high jump at the OCU Invitational, Jamarrion Reed set a new personal best of 2.09m (6' 10.25"), which is an automatic national qualifying mark and new school record. That mark puts him #4 in the nation on the current NAIA performance list.
Back in Austin, Texas, at the Texas Relays, distance runners Walid Jarfani and Hasnae Goulamzi both performed very well, getting automatic national qualifying marks in their events. Goulamzi finished fourth overall in the women's 10,000m in 36 minutes and 56 seconds, which ranks her 4th on the current NAIA national performance list. Jarfani finished 8th in the A section of the men's 1500m with a time of 3:50.81, which ranks fourth on the current NAIA national performance list. Both of those times are also #1 in the SAC conference.
In the field events at the Texas Relays, thrower Skandar Zrelli broke his week-old school record in the men's discus with a throw of 52.04m (170' 9"). That mark is currently #4 on the NAIA national performance list and #1 in the SAC conference. He had already hit the automatic national qualifying standard last week at Baylor, so this mark improves his national ranking.
Also at the Texas Relays, sprinter Kayla Wildy set a new personal best of 12.43 seconds in the women's 100m. That mark moves her up to #3 in the SAC conference.
"We got some very good marks out of the Texas Relays as well as those marks up at OBU, so overall, we had a great weekend! Now, we get to stay close to home and take everyone on the team to the North Texas Mean Green Invitational next Saturday in Denton. That will be a nice meet for our whole team to go to together and give all of our athletes an easy travel day," said Dalzell.
The Rams head to Denton, TX, next Saturday for the University of North Texas Mean Green Invitational.
