Azusa Pacific track & field competed in two indoor meets on Saturday, with eight of its sprinters running at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Collegiate Invitational in New Mexico, while 16 field athletes traveled to Colorado for the UCCS Invitational. 

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. COLLEGIATE INVITATIONAL

Jaylah Walker had a great day of competition, as she posted provisional marks in three different events. In both the 200 and 400 on Saturday, Walker ran times fastest enough to place her second on the current national qualifying list. In the 200, she ran a time of 24.45. In the 400, she crossed the finish line in just 55.61 seconds. Walked also set a new personal-best time this weekend, running a race of 8.66 in the 60 hurdles. Not only is it a career record, but it also puts her No. 10 on the national qualifying list. 

Walker was not the only Cougar to run a provisional time in the 400 on Saturday, as freshman Alayna Verner ran a time of 55.93. For Verner, it was over a second faster than her 400 time that she ran in her first collegiate meet in early December. Verner is now fourth on the national qualifying list. 

For the first time since 2019, Marian Ledesma ran the 600, and in her return to the event, she posted a career-best time of 1:37.48.

On the men's side of things, freshman Dominic Gonzalez-Shelmire and Daniel Bessolo put together impressive performances on the track. In just his second collegiate meet, Gonzalez-Shelmire had two top-three finishes, placing second in the 200 at 22.26 seconds and third in the 400 at 48.61 seconds. Bessolo was the second-place finisher in the 400, also crossing the line at 48.61 seconds. 

UCCS INVITATIONAL

Two provisional marks were achieved in Colorado on Saturday, as Sara Wagenveld improved her previous provisional mark in the pole vault, while Nicole Warwick had a provisional leap in the long jump. Wagenveld vaulted a height of 4.05m (13' 3 ½"), which is the best mark of her career (both indoor and outdoor) and moves her up to fourth on the national qualifying list. Warwick is now on the qualifying list after she reached a distance of 5.75m (18' 10 ½"), which was the second-best mark of the event. 

Warwick competed in a total of four events on Saturday, including the 60 hurdles in which she took second, and the shot put, where she achieved a lifetime-best mark of 11.98m (39' 3 ¾"). 

Eliana Saunders won the high jump event for Azusa Pacific, clearing a career-best height of 1.65m (5' 5"). 

For the men, Jermel Jones II highlighted the day with a first-place finish in the long jump (7.56m/24' 9 ¾") and a second-place finish in the triple jump (14.79m/48' 6 ¼"). Jones II is currently second in the nation for the long jump and 12th in the triple jump. 

Raymon Harper also had a top-three finish for the Cougars, clearing a height of 2.05m (6' 8 ¾") in the high jump to take third-place. 

In the pole vault, Joey Rauwerda delivered the best vault of his career, clearing 4.63m (15' 2 ¼") on his third and final attempt. 

LIFETIME-BESTS* SET BY COUGARS ON SATURDAY:

Luisa Fischer (60 Hurdles - 9.67 | Long Jump - 5.14m/16' 10 ½" | Shot Put - 12.69m/41' 7 ¾")

Dominic Gonzalez-Shelmire (200 - 22.26 | 400 - 48.61)

Alysa Henry (Shot Put - 12.43m/40' 9 ½")

Marian Ledesma (600 - 1:37.48)

Molly Olson (Shot Put - 12.32m/40' 5")

Joey Rauwerda (Pole Vault - 4.63m/15' 2 ¼")

Eliana Saunders (High Jump - 1.65m/5' 5")

Sid Varland (60 - 7.12 | High Jump - 2.02m/6' 7 ½")

Alayna Verner (200 - 25.45 | 400 - 55.82)

Jaylah Walker (60 Hurdles - 8.66)

Nicole Warwick (Shot Put - 11.98m/39' 3 ¾")

Sara Wagenveld (Pole Vault - 4.05m/13' 3 ½")

Aaron Worrell (60 Hurdles - 8.61 | High Jump - 1.92m/6' 3 ½" | Shot Put - 12.19m/40')

*Lifetime bests listed are according to TFRRS