Fayetteville, Ark. – The Louisiana Tech men's and women's Track & Field team kicked off their 2023 Indoor season at the Arkansas Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., inside the Randal Tyson Track Center Friday. 
 
LA Tech set a combined total of seven PRs on the day, including two from Rodney Heath Jr., who set a personal best in the 60m prelims at 6.77 and followed that up with a 6.72 to take third place in the 60m final. 
 
"Today was a great start for us as a program," said Director of Track & Field Brian Johnson. "We have some good performances, and we came out and competed today. I am excited to return to practice and prepare for the next meet in nine days."
 
In the 60m qualifying rounds, Devin Walton produced the top time with a PR of 6.93, while on the women's side, Ulanda Lewis took the top qualifying time with a PR of 7.61. Karo Oghomi also PRd in the 60m qualifying with a 7.00. 
 
Jiana Stewartburgess started the day in the field events by registering a top-five finish in the women's high jump with a 1.7m (5' 7''). Natalie Moten reached a personal best in the shot put on her second throw of the day with a 12.49 (40' 11.75''). 
 
Tia Reder added her PR in the women's triple jump with a jump of 11.59m (38' 0.25''), which placed her seventh, and Elizabeth Sebera added a PR in the women's weight throw finishing ninth, with a throw of 16.64m (54' 7.25'').
 
In the men's long jump, Mateo Smith finished just 0.5'' off his personal best with a leap of 7.25m (23' 9.5'') to take fourth. 
 
Others finishing in the top 10 included Nemoy Cockett, who came in seventh with a throw of 18.02m (59' 1.5'') in the men's weight throw, DaLoria Boone (8^th) in the triple jump with 5.59m (18' 4.25''), and Faith Tarver on the track in the women's 400m (7^th) with a 57.01. 
 
UP NEXT
Louisiana Tech men's & women's Track & Field teams will be back in action next week in Birmingham, Ala., for the KMS Invitational on Sunday, Jan. 22. 
 
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LA Tech Athlete Field Events Results
 
Shot Put | Women's
Natalie Moten (14^th) | 12.49m (40' 11.75'')
Shania Parkinson (15^th) | 12.37m (40' 7'')
Johannon Murray (27^th) | 10.73m (35' 2.5'')
Kristina Subia (28^th) | 10.68m (35' 0.5''
 
Shot Put | Men's
Nemoy Cockett (25^th) | 12.87m (42' 2.75'')
 
High Jump | Women's
Jiana Stewartburgess (5^th) | 1.7m (5' 7'')
Johannon Murray (16^th) | 1.55m (5' 1'')
Leah Ellis | NH
 
Long Jump | Women's
DaLoria Boone (8^th) | 5.59m (18' 4.25'')
Tia Reder (13^th) | 5.46m (17' 11'')
Leah Ellis (14^th) | 5.43m (17' 9.75'')
Pleasant Harris (26^th) 5.18m (17' 0'')
Jiana Stewartburgess (31^st) | 4.91m (16' 1.5'')
 
Long Jump | Men's 
Mateo Smith (4^th) | 7.25m (23' 9.5'')
Javion Canna (22^nd) | 5.93m (19' 5.5'')
Aidan Holland (23^rd) | 5.75m (18' 10.5'')
 
Triple Jump | Women's 
Tia Reder (7^th) | 11.59m (38' 0.25'') PR
 
Weight Throw | Men's
Nemoy Cockett (7^th) | 18.02m (59' 1.5'')
 
Weight Throw | Women's 
Elizabeth Sebera (9^th) | 16.64m (54' 7.25'') PR
Shania Parkinson (18^th) | 14.92m (48' 11.5'')
 
LA Tech Athlete Running Events
 
60m Qualifying | Men's
Devin Walton | 6.93 PR
Karo Oghomi | 7.00 PR
Desmyn McCall | 7.28
Aidan Holland | 7.84
 
60m Prelims | Men's
Rodney Heath Jr. | 6.77 Q | PR
Gerard Sapena | 6.90
Marshall Ellis | 6.91
Mateo Smith | 6.93
Urijah Williams | 7.04
Jamie Sancho | DNS
 
60m Finals | Men's
Rodney Heath Jr. (3^rd) | 6.72 PR
 
60m Qualifying | Women's
Kayla Watson | 8.16
Chanel Honeywell | 8.02
Ulanda Lewis | 7.61 PR
DaLoria Boone | 7.77
Pleasant Harris | 8.26
 
60m Prelims | Women's
Kaylyn Heath | DNS
Ulanda Lewis | DNS
 
60m H Prelims | Men's
Desmyn McCall | 8.52
Urijah Williams | 8.46
 
60m H Prelims | Women's
Kayla Watson | 8.91
Leah Ellis | 9.14
Jiana Stewartburgess | 9.53
 
400m | Men's
Laeden Tucker (14^th) | 49.25 
Micah Pernetter (31^st) | 52.11
 
400m | Women's
Faith Tarver (7^th) | 57.01
Nariah Parks (11^th) | 59.05
 
600m | Women's
Victoria Datta (20^th) | 1:42:27
 
1000m | Men's
Logan Bailey (32^nd) | 2:45:41
 
200m | Men's
Marshall Ellis (11^th) | 22.01
 
200m | Women's
Faith Tarver (13^th) | 25.07
Chanel Honeywell (36^th) | 26.35
Nariah Parks | DNF
 
Men's 4x400 Relay
LA Tech | Leaden Tucker, Micah Pernetter, Desmyn McCall, Trent Terminie (13^th) | 3:27:85