UTEP track & field to host first meet in six seasons as the Sun City Classic is set for Friday
EL PASO, Texas - UTEP track and field will have its first home meet since 2019 as the Miners are hosting the Sun City Classic at Larry K. Durham Track at Kidd Field on Friday.
The Sun City Classic will be free for all fans.
UTEP will compete against New Mexico, NM State and Rice, along with a group of athletes traveling from Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez.
UTEP great and 2024 Olympian Niesha Burgher will also compete as an individual.
Friday’s field events will begin at 9 a.m. with the men’s hammer throw, followed by the women’s hammer at 10:15 a.m.
The gun goes off for the track events at 5:30 p.m. with the men’s 4x100-meter relay, while the women will run the 4x100 at 5:35 p.m.
Twenty-three seniors will be honored at 5 p.m. – Jakub Belik, Loubna Benhadja, Alex Brown, Chinique Brown, Burgher, Stephen Carreto, Lizbeth Fierro, Joshua Hill, Asia Hodge, Aleks Hristov, Ruth Jerubet, Noah Jirgens, Maxwell Kipkosgei, Denae McFarlane, Natalie J. Murillo, Samoya Neil, Victoria Ovalles, Julio Estrada Pacheco, Alexa Rangel, Marissa Simpson, Kenneth Talavera, Zacarias Velasquez and Jordani Woodley will be recognized.
UTEP last hosted a meet on March 15-16, 2019, the UTEP Springtime.
“We are more than excited to be able to provide the student-athletes with an opportunity to compete at home for once,” UTEP Director of Track & Field Mika Laaksonen said. “I think it's very important, especially for the local talent on our team, to get this opportunity. I think tomorrow we will take a first step towards bringing top-notch track meets back to this community. It will be an action-packed day in great conditions.”
Competing for the women’s squad are Loubna Benhadja (400H, 4x4), Chinique Brown (200, 400, 4x4), Andrea Castillo (800), Sarah Dovenbarger (pole vault), Ewa Peace (high jump), Lizbeth Fierro (shot put, hammer), Samahdi Foster (400H, 4x4), Vallary Kiplagat (1500), Salma Licon (1500, 2000m steeplechase), Denae McFarlane (100, 4x1), Natalie J. Murillo (discus, hammer), Samoya Neil (200, long jump, 4x4), Esther Osisike (shot put, discus, hammer), Alla Parnov (pole vault), Cailee Phillips (400H), Alexa Rangel (3000), Marissa Simpson (200, 100H, 4x1, 4x4), Addison Stricklin (100, 200, 4x1, 4x4), Rejoice Sule (200, 4x1, 4x4) and Princess Uche (400, 4x4).
Going for the men are Sebastian Avena (400, 4x4), Evan Avitia (800), Jakub Belik (high jump), Oleksandr Blonskyi (high jump, pole vault), Alex Brown (triple jump), Harrison Canfield (pole vault), Stephen Carreto (400H, 4x4), Andrew Crosby (1500), Joseph Gomez Whitten (100, 200, 4x1), Joshua Hill (400, 4x1, 4x4), Aleks Hristov (shot put, discus), Noah Jirgens (hammer throw), Juan Leal (800), Elijah Munoz (javelin), Julio Pacheco Estrada (400, 4x4), Mathew Polk (400, 4x1), Paul Rotich (800), Aron Tanui (800, 4x4), Zacarias Velasquez (long jump), Xavier Westmoreland (shot put, discus) and Amir Williams (100, 110H, 4x1).
