UTEP Track & Field’s Benhadja, Simpson Punch their Tickets to Eugene Saturday Evening
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KVIA) -- UTEP track and field’s Marissa Simpson (100H) and Loubna Benhadja (400H) are leaping to Eugene after their finishes in the quarterfinals on the final day at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field West First Round at E.B. Cushing Stadium on Saturday.
The 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships are June 11-14 at historic Hayward Field. On Thursday, June 12, Simpson is scheduled to compete in the women’s 100-meter hurdles semifinal at 5:05 p.m. PT/6:05 MT, and Benhadja will run the 400-meter hurdles semifinal at 6:14 p.m. PT/7:14 MT.
Simpson is going to her third consecutive outdoor championships, and fifth overall, including her two indoor trips in 2024 and 2025. Benhadja is making her second trip overall, but first in the 400 hurdles. Benhadja competed at the 2024 championships in the 4x400-meter relay.
Simpson finished fourth overall, clocking in a 12.90 (+0.6) in the 100 hurdles. The senior finished second in heat three. Oregon’s Aaliyah McCormick was first 12.74, while UCLA’s Yanla Ndjip-Nyemeck was second (12.82) and Texas A&M’s Jaiya Covington was third (12.87).
Benhadja clocked in a personal-best 56.77 in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, placing third in heat one to qualify for the women’s 400 hurdles semifinal. The senior finished ninth overall.
The 4x100-relay team (Addison Stricklin, Denae McFarlane, Simpson, Rejoice Sule) clocked in a 44.14 in heat 1 of the quarterfinals, finishing fourth. Overall, the Miners placed 15th overall, falling three spots short of advancing to nationals.
Sule finished 19th overall in the women’s 100-meter dash quarterfinals with an 11.29. USC’s Dajaz Defrand took first overall. Sule placed 15thoverall in the women’s 200-meter dash with a 23.24, falling three spots short of advancing.
Esther Osisike finished in the bottom half of the women’s discus first round with a mark of 49.01 meters (160-9).
Praise Djoma leaped 11.99 meters (39-4) in the women’s triple jump first round.
The women’s 4x400-meter relay team clocked in a 3:37.35.
PREVIOUS DAY’S RESULTS
On Wednesday, Jordani Woodley opened the championships in the 110-meter hurdles first round, clocking in a 14.11 (36th overall). Jakub Belik leaped 2.09 meters (6-10.25) and placed 31st overall in the men’s high jump first round on Friday. Alla Parnov didn’t record a height in the women’s pole vault first round on Thursday.
UP NEXT
Simpson and Benhadja will compete at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on June 11-14 in Eugene, Ore., at Heyward Field.
