UTEP begins competition at NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships Wednesday
(Courtesy: UTEP Athletics)
EL PASO, Texas - UTEP track and field’s Jakub Belik (high jump), Loubna Benhadja (4x400), Niesha Burgher (200m, 4x400), Sandra Maiyo (10,000m), Zani Meaders (4x400), Arianne Morais (javelin), Marissa Simpson (100H), Rejoice Sule (4x400 alternate), Princess Uche (4x400) and Jordani Woodley (110H) will open competition at the 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., at Hayward Field on June 5-8.
Nine Miners will compete in seven events starting Wednesday. It’s the most student-athletes and events for the UTEP program at the championships since the 2017 season.
Woodley will lead off competition in the 110-meter hurdles semifinals on Wednesday at 6:32 p.m. MT/5:32 PT.
The women will start Thursday with Simpson running the 100-meter hurdles semifinals at 7:32 p.m. MT/6:32 PT. Morais will follow in the javelin final starting at 7:45 p.m. MT/6:45 PT. Burgher will compete in the 200-meter dash semis at 8:44 p.m. MT/7:44 PT, Maiyo will run the 10,000-meter race at 9:08 p.m. MT/8:08 PT, and the women’s 4x400-meter relay team comprised of Uche, Meaders, Benhadja and Burgher will conclude day two in the semifinals at 9:48 p.m. MT/8:48 PT.
Belik leaping in the men’s high jump final is scheduled for Friday at 6:30 p.m. MT/5:30 PT.
2024 NCAA DI OTF CHAMPIONSHIPS LINKS
Live Results | Schedule | TV: Wed (ESPN2), Thurs (ESPN2), Fri (ESPN2), Sat (ESPN)
SCHEDULE (JUNE 5-8)
Wed., June 5
110-meter hurdles (semifinals) – 6:32 p.m. MT/5:32 PT
Jordani Woodley (heat 3, lane 4)
Thurs., June 6
100-meter hurdles (semifinals) – 7:32 p.m. MT/6:32 PT
Marissa Simpson (heat 3, lane 4)
Javelin (final) – 7:45 p.m. MT/6:45 PT
Arianne Morais (flight 2, position 3)
200-meter dash (semifinals) – 8:44 p.m. MT/7:44 PT
Niesha Burgher (heat 2, lane 5)
10,000-meter race (final) – 9:08 p.m. MT/8:08 PT
Sandra Maiyo (position 10)
4x400-meter relay (semifinals) – 9:48 p.m. MT/8:48 PT
Heat 3, Lane 2
Fri., June 7
High Jump (final) – 6:30 p.m. MT/5:30 PT
Jakub Belik (position 6)
110-meter hurdles (finals) – 7:42 p.m. MT/6:42 PT
TBD
Sat., June 8
100-meter hurdles (final) – 4:12 p.m. MT/3:12 PT
TBD
200-meter dash (final) – 5:07 p.m. MT/4:07 PT
TBD
4x400-meter relay (final) – 5:51 p.m. MT/4:51 PT
TBD
JAKUB BELIK | HIGH JUMP | JR. | JAROMER, CZECH REPUBLIC
Jakub Belik leaped a personal-best 2.20 meters (7-2.5) in the first round of the men’s high jump on May 24. He reached his PB on his third and final try following two failed attempts. Belik was one of six competitors to leap the 2.20-meter mark and was sixth overall. Belik’s new mark ranks ninth best in program history. Belik will compete in his second consecutive NCAA Championships, while the junior jumper is making his first trip to Eugene as the championships were held in Austin, Texas, last season.
NIESHA BURGHER | 200m///4x400 | SR. | SAINT THOMAS, JAMAICA
After a 30th-place finish in last year’s west first-round 200-meter dash, Niesha Burgher clocked in a 22.48 (2.5) in this year’s quarterfinals and finished second in heat 1 to gain the automatic bid. She finished in fourth overall. Burgher will make her first career appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field D1 Championships. Burgher joined Simpson at the indoor championships earlier this season, as she competed in the 200 in Boston.
SANDRA MAIYO | 10,000M | FR. | ELDORET, KENYA
Sandra Maiyo booked her flight to compete at the NCAA Championships at historic Hayward Field. Maiyo snuck in with a 12th-place finish overall clocking in 34:29.70 in the women’s 10,000 semifinals. Maiyo is the first Miner since Winny Koech in 2017 to compete in the women’s 10k at the NCAA Championships.
ARIANNE MORAIS | JAVELIN | SR. | OSLO, NORWAY
Arianne Morais was the first Miner to punch a ticket to Eugene after throwing a season-best 57.41 meters (188-4) in the women’s javelin and finishing first overall on May 23. The senior will compete at the NCAA Championships for a third consecutive year.
MARISSA SIMPSON | 100H | JR. | KELLITS, JAMAICA
Marissa Simpson turned in a season-best 12.73 (2.5) in the women’s 100-meter hurdles quarterfinals. The junior finished in second place in heat 1 to earn the automatic bid to the championships. This will be Simpson’s second consecutive NCAA Championships appearance while it’s her first trip to historic Hayward Field. Simpson also competed at the NCAA ITF Championships in the 60m hurdles this past February.
JORDANI WOODLEY | 110H | JR. | HANOVER, JAMAICA
Jordani Woodley finally broke through to advance to the NCAA Championships. Woodley finished second in heat 3 with a season-best 13.29 (2.7) in the 110 hurdles on May 24. The junior finished fourth overall and punched his ticket to his first-ever NCAA Championships. He recently set the school record at 13.41 in Wednesday’s first-round race.
WOMEN’S 4x400M RELAY TEAM
The women’s 4x400-meter relay team concluded the evening and four-day meet by clocking in a new program record time of 3:33.02. Princess Uche (53.8), Loubna Benhadja (53.5), Zani Meaders (53.8) and Burgher (51.8) finished sixth in heat 1 while earning the 12th and final spot to advance. The school record stood for 24 seasons; the program’s previous best was 3:34.81 in 2000. Rejoice Sule will serve as the team’s alternate.
