FAIRFAX, Va. – The Texas State track and field teams got off to a strong start for the indoor season at the Father Diamond Invitational held at the Field House on the campus of George Mason. The teams combined to record 33 top six finishes.
 
Standing out on the women's side was Live Hilton. The freshman from Fana, Norway won the long jump competition with a leap of 5.89m (19-4) that also leads the Sun Belt Conference. She posted a 7.80 in the finals of the 60m dash and concluded the day competing on the 4x400m relay.
 
Along with Hilton's long jump title, six individuals and a 4x400m relay team finished first at the meet. Both Dawnshae Evans and Tramesha Hardy claimed individual first-place finishes and was part of the winning relay squad. Evans took first in the 500m with a time of 1:17.02 and Hardy posted the top time in the 60m in 7.50, post the same time in both the prelims and finals. The duo, along with Sadi Giles and Kattiana Ealy-Pulido posted a time of 3:53.38 in the 4x400m relay.
 
Smith was the other first-place finisher for the Bobcats women's team on the track. She won the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.64 in the finals after a mark of 8.59 in the preliminary heats that is the fastest in the Sun Belt. Also finishing in the top six of the event were Ariana Ealy-Pulido (3rd), K. Ealy-Pulido (4th) and Kaylee Krenek (6th).
 
Claiming her first-ever individual title was Sidnee Land in the weight throw. Her best throw on Saturday was a distance of 16.34m (53-7.5). She also took fifth in the shot put with a mark of 12.02m (39-5.25).
 
Taydria Nickerson won the triple jump and leads the Sun Belt after leaping 11.55m (37-10.75). Lashonda Tate took fourth and ranks fifth in the conference with a distance of 10.84m (35-6.75). The sophomore also finished sixth in the long jump.
 
Rounding out the women's performance in Virginia was a trio of high jumpers. Katherine Stuckly won the event after clearing 1.73m (5-8) and Tina Douglas was second with a clearance of 1.70m (5-7). Senior Raquel Robinson took fifth after jumping over the bar at 1.60m (5-3).
 
Jaylen Allen had two first-place finishes, one as an individual and one as a member of the relay team. The sophomore finished the 400m in 49.88 and finished three-tenths of a second ahead of the next collegiate finisher. He ran the second leg of the winning 4x400m relay team that finished in 3:21.88. Joining him on the squad were Matthew Parker, Ronnie Briscoe and Christian Jackson.
 
Briscoe also finished first in an individual event, winning the long jump with a leap of 7.07m (23-2.5). Ben Collerton was the runner-up at 6.98m (22-1). Noah Herring and Parker Doan finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the competition.
 
The trio of Samuel Hussey, T'Mond Johnson and Bobby Smith all posted top six finishes in both the shot put and weight throw. Johnson won the shot put with a mark of 18.67m (61-3), the top mark in the Sun Belt and fourth best in TXST history and was the runner-up in the weight throw at 16.75m (54-11.5). Smith came in second in the shot put with a personal best distance of 17.64m (57-10.5) and was third in the weight throw at 16.61m (54-6). Hussey came in fourth in both events.
 
Herring claimed the triple jump title with a personal best leap of 14.49m (47-6.5). Coming in right behind him was Briscoe at 14.01m (45-11.75).
 
Rounding out the top six finishers for the Texas State men's team were Ian Carter (60m hurdles), Andrew Ureste (high jump) and Parker (500m).
 
The Bobcats return to action on Saturday in College Station, Texas for the Ted Nelson Invitational.