Coconino News

The Northern Arizona University track & field team started their indoor season off strong, with four school records falling on Friday night at the Axe 'Em Open.

Mitchell Effing broke a long-held record in the triple jump with a jump of 15.81 meters, easily winning the event. Sirr Butler took second in the event, earning a new personal record with a jump of 15.05 meters.

Senior David Dunlap proved he was capable of living up to his lofty expectations, breaking both the 60-meter and 200-meter school records. His 200-meter time was also a Big Sky conference record. Dunlap ran a 6.62 in the 60-meter, later running a time of 20.68 in the 200-meter to crush a 31-year-old record. His time in the 200-meter currently puts him as the top runner in the nation, with his 60-meter time putting him at No. 2 in the nation.

The women's 60-meter record also fell, with Alyssa Colbert breaking her own record with a time of 7.30. LaTrouchka Duke impressed in her first meet as a Lumberjack, taking second place in both the 60-meter and 200-meter with times of 7.49 and 24.59.

Kyairra Reigh had a good day on the track, winning the 300-meter with the second fastest time in school history. She ran a 37.96, only .02 seconds away from the school record. Reigh also competed in the 60-meter, running a time of 7.60.

The middle-distance squad took the top three spots in the mile, with Aiden Barnhill taking the win after running a time of 4:20.55. Erik Le Roux and Terrence Keyes took second and third place in their first races as Lumberjacks, with times of 4:20.80 and 4:25.89 respectively.

The middle-distance women were not to be outdone, with Alonna Johnson and Odessa Zentz running the third and seventh all-time 600-meter times. Johnson ran a 1:32.59 to win the event while Zentz ran a 1:36.45 in her collegiate debut.

Tyson Givens and Zach Schroeder moved up the 300-meter all-time records list, with Givens taking the eighth spot and Schroeder sliding in at ten. Givens ran a time of 35.36 while Schroeder ran a 35.94.

Madeline Wilson closed out the running events for the 'Jacks with a win, running a time of 24.36 in the 200-meter and moving up to seventh on the all-time school records list. LaTrouchka Duke took second in the race.

Headlining the remaining field events was senior Jenna Figueroa who competed in the high jump for the first time in her collegiate career. She jumped 1.62 meters to land at seventh place in school history. Also having an impressive first event outing was freshman thrower Sariyah Horne-Kemp. She competed in the weight throw, landing a distance of 15.76 meters.

In the men's weight throw, both John Murphy and Desmond Lott earned new personal records to take second and third place in the competition. Murphy threw a distance of 19.27 meters, with Lott not far behind, throwing for a distance of 19.20 meters.

Lott also took second place in the shot put, throwing a distance of 16.05 meters to set a new personal record. Veteran thrower Parker Bays placed fourth in the shot put with a throw of 15.47 meters.

Alaina Diggs competed for the first time since the 2021 outdoor season, taking second place in the shot put with a throw of 13.78 meters.

The jumps team had a successful first meet, with two athletes hitting their personal record. Madeline Wilson matched her PR in the long jump, with a mark of 5.38 meters. Ian Lipsey smashed his PR, jumping a distance of 7.09 meters to take third in the event. Lily Margolis also competed in the long jump, hitting a mark of 5.39 meters to place seventh in the competition.

 Kenashalee Kerr was the lone Lumberjack competing in the women's triple jump. She placed third after jumping a distance of 11.75 meters. 

Original source can be found here.