DENTON, Texas | Louisiana Tech men's and women's Track & Field teams completed the 2023 outdoor season by competing at the Conference USA Outdoor Championships over the last four days in Denton, Texas.
LA Tech registered 19 personal bests on the week, earned three podium finishes, and placed six names in the LA Tech record. The Techsters finished ninth overall with 14 points, while the Bulldogs finished eighth with 35 points.
DAY ONE
Johannon Murray and
Aidan Holland kicked off the 2023 championships in their respective multi-events, with Murray tackling four events of the women's heptathlon and Holland taking on the first five events of the men's decathlon.
Murray began her quest for a repeat title by posting a PR in the 100m H with a 14.47, taking fourth in the high jump with a lead of 1.61m (5' 3.25'), and smashing her personal best in the shot put on her first attempt with a 12.49m (40' 11.75''), which cleared her previous best by nearly three feet to take first in the event. She finished the day with her third PR, running a 26.43 in the 200m putting her in fourth place with 3,114 points after day one.
Holland PR'd in his first three events with an 11.52 time in the 100m, 6.02m (19' 9'') in the long jump, and 9.83m (32' 3'') heave in the shot put. He narrowly missed a PR in the high jump, just 0.1m off his previous best with a leap of 1.62m (5' 3.75''), and finished the day with a time of 55.11 in the 400m.
DAY TWO
At the end of the multi-events, Murray would tally 4,911 points, which ranks as the fifth-best heptathlon score in program history, to finish sixth overall. She now has three of the top-seven heptathlon scores all time at LA Tech.
Murray began the day 237 points behind, heading into the final three events, where she notched a 5.35m (17' 6.75'') in the high jump, a 30.94m (101' 6'') in the javelin, and a run of 2:33.81 in the 800m.
In the men's decathlon, Holland posted a time of 19.25 in the 100m H and a 25.34m (83' 1'') in the discus before registering his fourth PR with a jump of 4.15m (13' 7.25'') in the pole vault, finishing sixth in the event. He completed the two-day, 10-event outing with a throw of 40.28m (132' 2'') in the javelin and a time of 5:07.59 in the 1500m, which was also good for sixth in that event, to total 5,294 points, which ranks as the eighth-best decathlon score in program history.
In the field, Tech picked up three points from
Nemoy Cockett's sixth-place finish in the men's hammer throw when a PR heave of 56.29m (184' 8'') on his final attempt of the event, which ranks as the fourth-best throw in LA Tech history.
DAY THREE
In the field,
Mateo Smith picked up two points for the team in the long jump with a leap of 7.18m (23' 6.75'') to take seventh place, and
Tia Reder led the four-member group of LA Tech women in the long jump with a PR of 5.69m (18' 8'') for 14
th place.
On the track, Tech tackled 12 prelim events for a chance to reach the Sunday finals, which began with a PR and qualifier from
Nike Praetzel in the women's 100m H with a 13.98. Urijah William's also posted a PR in the 110m H with a 14.57. Praetzel finished fifth in her prelim, William's tenth.
In the men's 400m,
Tim Rummelhagen narrowly missed the top eight to qualify but posted a personal best of 49.19. In the men's 400m H,
Desmyn McCall earned a spot in the finals with a PR and time of 54.01.
Kaylyn Heath and
DaLoria Boone registered PRs in the women's 100m. Heath an 11.51 but missed out on the cut by just .02 seconds. Boone posted an 11.95.
The LA Tech men posted four PRs in the men's 100m prelims, headlined by
Rodney Heath Jr. tying his own program record with a run of 10.12 to finish third and qualify for Sunday's final. In addition, Gerard Sepena (10.52),
Devin Walton (10.56), and
Mateo Smith (10.68) all posted personal bests in the prelim.
In the men's 200m,
Jamie Sancho ran the third fastest prelim time to qualify for the Sunday final, and
Devin Walton posted a personal best with a 21.44; he finished 12
th. On the women's side,
Chanel Honeywell also ran a PR with a 24.75 and finished 18
th.
DAY FOUR
LA Tech entered the fourth and final day of competition with four chances for a podium on the track from the previous day's prelims, the first of which was
Nike Praetzel in the women's 100m H, who would grab a top-five finish and earn four points with a time of 14.08.
Rodney Heath Jr. continued his impressive first season in Ruston by running the ninth fastest time in program history to grab third place, and six points, in the men's 100m with a 10.24. Heath Jr. now owns five of the top nine times at LA Tech.
In the men's 400m H,
Desmyn McCall, unfortunately, tripped over the third hurdle and fell, but in true Bulldog fashion, picked himself up and finished the race with a time of 60.12.
Jamie Sancho rounded out Sunday's final's opportunities in the men's 200m and grabbed bronze running a 21.0 to pick up another six points for the Bulldogs.
In the relays, the LA Tech men of
Gerard Sapena,
Rodney Heath Jr.,
Jamie Sancho, and
Marshall Ellis put together a 40.02 to take the silver medal in the 4x100m and earn eight points, just .03 seconds behind UTSA. The women's side, consisting of
Nike Praetzel,
DaLoria Boone,
Chanel Honeywell, and
Kaylyn Heath, finished seventh with a time of 46.29, picking up two points.
In the field,
Tyler O'con earned the team's first points of the day with five for placing fourth in the men's javelin with a throw of 61.11m (200' 6''), and
Johnie Jean-Jacques followed suit, making the final nine in the men's shot put and finished seventh, picking up two more points with a heave of 16.53m (54' 2.75") on his last throw of the day.
On the women's side, Jiana Steweartburgess earned sixth place in the high jump and three points, tying her second-best jump of the season with a 1.65m (5' 5'').
Tia Reder also made the finals in the women's triple jump to finish ninth overall with a leap of 11.37m (37' 3.75'').
The four-day championship event concluded with the women's and men's 4x400m relays. The Techsters group of
Nike Praetzel,
DaLoria Boone, Chanel Honeyweill, and
Kaylyn Heath picked up two points with a seventh-place finish running 46.29.
The Bulldogs consisting of
Tim Rummelhagen,
Marshall Ellis, Gerard Sepena, and Desmym McCall, ran a season-best 3:19.30 to finish seventh and add two final points to the team total.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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LA Tech Athlete Multi Events
Women's Heptathlon 100m H
Johannon Murray (6
th) | 14.47
PR
Women's Heptathlon High Jump
Johannon Murray (4
th) | 1.61m (5' 3.25')
Women's Heptathlon Shot Put
Johannon Murray (1
st) | 12.49m (40' 11.75'')
PR
Women's Heptathlon 200m
Johannon Murray (7
th) | 26.43
PR
Women's Heptathlon Long Jump
Johannon Murray (9
th) | 5.35m (17' 6.75'')
Women's Heptathlon Javelin
Johannon Murray (5
th) | 30.94m (101' 6'')
Women's Heptathlon 800m
Johannon Murray (8
th) | 2:33.81
Men's Decathlon 100m
Aidan Holland (8
th) | 11.52
PR
Men's Decathlon Long Jump
Aidan Holland (10
th) | 6.02m (19' 9'')
PR
Men's Decathlon Shot Put
Aidan Holland (9
th) | 9.83m (32' 3'')
PR
Men's Decathlon High Jump
Aidan Holland (9
th) | 1.62m (5' 3.75'')
Men's Decathlon 400m
Aidan Holland (8
th) | 55.11
Men's Decathlon 110m H
Aidan Holland (10
th) | 19.25 (1
st race)
Men's Decathlon Discus
Aidan Holland (10
th | 25.34m (83' 1'')
Men's Decathlon Pole Vault
Aidan Holland (6
th) | 4.15m (13' 7.25'') PR
Men's Decathlon Javelin
Aidan Holland (10
th) | 40.28m (132' 2'')
Men's Decathlon 1500m
Aidan Holland (6
th) | 5:07.59
LA Tech Athlete Field Events
Women's Hammer Throw
Elizabeth Sebera (10
th) | 49.93m (163' 9'')
Men's Hammer Throw
Nemoy Cockett (6
th) | 56.29m (184' 8'') (4
th, LA Tech all-time)
Women's Discus
Elizabeth Sebera (12
TH) | 41.61m (136'' 6'')
Natalie Moten (13
th) | 41.01m (134' 6'')
Men's Discus
Johnie Jean-Jacques (12
th) | 45.48m (149' 2'')
Tim Fitzgerald (14
th) | 42.72m (140' 2'')
Nemoy Cockett | Foul
Women's Long Jump
Tia Reder (14
th) | 5.69m (18' 8'')
PR
Pleasant Harris (15
th) | 5.65m (18' 6.5'')
DaLoria Boone (16
th) | 5.55m (18' 2.5'')
Leah Ellis (17
th) | 5.47m (17' 11.5'')
Men's Long Jump
Mateo Smith (7
th) | 7.18m (23' 6.75'')
Javion Canna (13
th) | 6.10m (20' 0.25'')
Women's Shot Put
Natalie Moten (13
th) | 11.62m (38' 1.5'')
Elizabeth Sebera (14
th) | 10.42m (34' 2.25'')
Men's Shot Put
Johnie Jean-Jacques (7
th) | 16.53m (54' 2.75")
Nemoy Cockett (15
th) | 14.74m (48' 4.5'')
Tim Fitzgerald | Foul
Women's Javelin
Maria Ferreiro Pena (10
th) | 40.52m (132' 11'')
Johannon Murray (14
th) | 33.03m (108' 4'')
Arabiah Jefferson | DNS
Men's Javelin
Tyler O'con (4
th) | 61.11m (200' 6'')
Women's Triple Jump
Tia Reder (9
th) | 11.37m (37' 3.75'')
Leah Ellis | Foul
Women's High Jump
Jiana Steweartburgess (5th) | 1.65m (5' 5'')
LA Tech Athlete Track Events
Women's 10,000m
Jacquelin LaBerteaux (17
th) | 45:24.09 (1
st race)
Men's 1500m
Logan Bailey (18
th) | 4:22.40
Women's 100m H Prelims
Nike Praetzel (5
th) | 13.98
PR Q
Kayla Watson | DNF
Women's 100m H Finals
Nike Praetzel (5
th) | 14.08
Men's 110m H Prelims
Urijah Williams (10
th) | 14.57
PR
Tibet Sancak (12
th) | 14.64 (1
st race)
Women's 400m Prelims
Chanel Honeywell (11
th) | 58.05
Faith Tarver | DNS
Men's 400m Prelims
Tim Rummelhagen (9
th) | 49.19
PR
Micah Pernetter (16
th) | 52.97
Women's 100m Prelims
Kaylyn Heath (9
th) | 11.51
PR
DaLoria Boone (17
th) | 11.95
PR
Men's 100m Prelims
Rodney Heath Jr. (3
rd) | 10.12
T-PR (ties program record)
Q
Gerard Sepena (15
th) | 10.52
PR
Devin Walton (16
th) | 10.56
PR
Mateo Smith (17
th) | 10.68
PR
Men's 100m Finals
Rodney Heath Jr. (3
rd) | 10.24
Women's 800m Prelims
Victoria Datta (22
nd) | 2:29.04
Men's 800m Prelims
Trent Terminie (19
th) | 2:04.85
Men's 400 H Prelims
Desmyn McCall (4
th) | 54.01
PR Q
Men's 400 H Finals
Desmyn McCall (8
th) | 60.12
Women's 200m Prelims
Chanel Honeywell (18
th) | 24.75
PR
Men's 200m Prelims
Jamie Sancho (3
rd) | 20.77
Q
Marshall Ellis (11
th) | 21.44
Devin Walton (12
th) | 21.44
PR
Men's 200m Finals
Jamie Sancho (3
rd) | 21.0
Women's 4x100m
LA Tech (7
th) |
Nike Praetzel,
DaLoria Boone,
Chanel Honeywell,
Kaylyn Heath | 46.29
Men's 4x100m
LA Tech (2
nd) |
Gerard Sapena,
Rodney Heath Jr.,
Jamie Sancho,
Marshall Ellis | 40.02
Women's 5000m
Rebecca Quebedeaux (36
th) | 20:34.33 (1
st race)
Men's 5000m
Hayes Gill (30
th) | 17.06.81
Women's 4x400m
LA Tech (7
th) |
Chanel Honeywell,
Nike Praetzel,
DaLoria Boone,
Victoria Datta | 3:59.12
Men's 4x400m
LA Tech (7
th) |
Tim Rummelhagen,
Marshall Ellis, Gerard Sepena, Desmym McCall | 3:19.30 (season best)
