Texas State Enjoys Impressive Return to Track at UAB Vulcan Invite

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – In what could be a preview of things to come later this indoor season, the Texas State track and field teams returned to action in impressive fashion at the UAB Vulcan Invitational in the Birmingham Crossplex on Saturday.

The Bobcats won three events and were the runner-up in five other events while posting some of the Sun Belt Conference's top marks in nearly every event.

Sadi Giles won the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.52 seconds after recording a season-best time of 7.51 seconds in the preliminaries. Her time tied the Sun Belt's best time this season.

Kattiana Ealy-Pulido was the runner-up in the 60-meter hurdles with the Sun Belt's fastest time of 8.69 seconds. She finished just ahead of teammate Paige Kimble, who posted a season-best time of 8.72 seconds, the third-fastest time in the Sun Belt.

Texas State also had strong indoor debuts in the women's middle-distance races with some of the Sun Belt Conference's top times in both the 800 meters and mile. Sydney Cole posted a time of 2:25.55 to finish in seventh place in the 800 meters. Her time ranks among the Sun Belt's top five fastest times. In the mile, freshman Riley McGrath debuted with a fourth-place finish when she completed the race in 5:07.29, the Sun Belt's second-fastest time, and a transfer, Esmerelda Fuentes, had the Sun Belt's fourth-best time of 5:10.27 to finish in sixth place.

In the men's mile race, Texas State's Johen Deleon and Cade Michael both had the Sun Belt's two top times when Deleon finished fourth with a time of 4:20.38 and Michael finished in sixth place with a time of 4:20.62.

In the women's 3,000 meters, Abby Steinhauser finished in second place with the Sun Belt's second-best time of 10:16.02.

In the 4x400-meter relays, the women's team won the race with a time of 3:53.58, which ranks second in the Sun Belt. In the men's race, the Bobcats posted a time of 3:18.73 to finish in second place. Their time is the third-fastest time in the Sun Belt.

In the field events, Texas State's Noah Herring won the men's triple jump, while Brandon Busby finished in second place in the men's shot put, and Jaylon Jorge was the runner up in the weight throw. Herring won the triple jump with a leap of 14.80 meters (48-6.75), which ranks as the Sun Belt's second-longest jump.

Busby recorded a mark of 15.87 meters (52-1.00) in his first shot put attempt to finish in second place on Saturday. His put is among the Sun Belt's top two throwers.

In the weight throw, Jorge had his maximum effort on his fourth attempt and finished in second place with a mark of 19.35 meters (63-06.00), which is third among the Sun Belt's best.

Bobby Smith also posted one of the league's five best marks with a shot put of 15.38 meters (50-5.50). Smith also had one of the league's top eight weight throws, finishing in fifth place with a mark of 17.27 meters (56-8). Dias Redmond II ranks sixth in the Sun Belt with a shot put of 15.30 meters (50-2.50), while Cameron Steward had a distance of 14.97 meters (49-1.50) to rank seventh.

Ebony Wolridge secured the fourth-best mark in the shot put with a put of 13.81 meters (45-3.75). That ranks third among Sun Belt leaders.

Ronnie Briscoe Jr. posted the Sun Belt's third-best long jump of 7.31 meters (23-11.75). Herring had the sixth-longest jump in the Sun Belt with a leap of 6.93 meters (22-9).

In the men's high jump, Julien Olivas also cleared 1.86 meters (6-1.25) to move among the Sun Belt's top five leaders.

In the women's high jump, Lauren Purdom finished in fourth place with a leap of 1.65 meters (5-5), which ranks among the top four heights in the Sun Belt.

In the women's long jump, Texas State had three of the top five finishers. Alexa Valenzuela took third place with a leap of 5.61 meters (18-05.00). Naomi Ferdinand finished fourth with a jump of (5.60 meters, 18-4.50), while Amaya Brown was fifth with 5.58 meters (18-3.75).

Texas State returns to action on January 24 at the Texas Tech Red Raider Invitational. The Bobcats return to Birmingham's Crossplex on Feb. 24-25 when they compete in the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships.

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Players Mentioned

Ronnie Briscoe: Horizontal Jumps; Junior

Brandon Busby: Throws; Junior

Sydney Cole: Distance; Redshirt Sophomore

Kattiana Ealy-Pulido: Sprints/Hurdles; Sophomore

Naomi Ferdinand: Horizontal Jumps; Senior

Sadi Giles: Sprints; Sophomore

Noah Herring: Horizontal Jumps; Junior

Jaylon Jorge: Throws; Senior

Lauren Purdom: High Jump; Junior

Bobby Smith: Throws; Junior

Players Mentioned

Ronnie Briscoe
: Junior
: Horizontal Jumps

Brandon Busby
: Junior
: Throws

Sydney Cole
: Redshirt Sophomore
: Distance

Kattiana Ealy-Pulido
: Sophomore
: Sprints/Hurdles

Naomi Ferdinand
: Senior
: Horizontal Jumps

Sadi Giles
: Sophomore
: Sprints

Noah Herring
: Junior
: Horizontal Jumps

Jaylon Jorge
: Senior
: Throws

Lauren Purdom
: Junior
: High Jump

Bobby Smith
: Junior
: Throws