HOUSTON, Texas – Texas State track and field started its 2024 indoor season in strong fashion on Friday, leaving the Leonard Hilton Memorial Invitational with one new school record, 12 top-four finishes, and two runners being ranked top-10 nationally.  

"What a great start to our season with one new school record, 12 top-four finishes, 30 PRs and 2 athletes ranked in the top 10 nationally," said Texas State Director of Track & Field/Cross Country John Frazier. "We are just getting started and we need to stay focused and not be satisfied."

Daniel Harrold stood out with a third-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles and a time of 7.71. The time tied Harrold for second in the nation this year and atop the school record book. The senior now holds eight of the top-10 times in school history in the 60-meter hurdles.  

Along with Harrold, three other Bobcats – Jake Smith in the men's 3000 meters and Dominick Yancy and Shawn Collins in the 60-meter dash – had top-four finishes on the track. Yancy reached the podium with a third-place finish in the 60-meter dash and a time of 6.70, which was the second-fastest in school history. Smith and Collins, who made their Texas State debuts on Friday, finished fourth in their respective events. 

In the throws, Melanie Duron threw 16.29 meters/53-5.5 in the women's shot put – the third-best throw in school history – to place second in the meet. Carly Watts also reached the podium in the event with a throw of 14.68 meters/48-2 for third place. 

Precious Okougbodu, a freshman from Batch Springs, Texas who made her Texas State debut, placed second in the women's triple jump with a jump of 12.49 meters /40-11.75. The mark put her 10th in the country and one of two freshmen ranked in the nation's top-10 this year. 

In the men's high jump, sophomore Aiden Hayes picked up where he left off in his freshman season with a leap of 2.10 meters/6-10.75. The height helped him finish third in the meet and it was tied for the fourth-best in school history. He became the first Bobcat to clear 2.10 meters in the indoor high jump in 23 years. 

Mathilde Canet registered a distance of 6.06 meters/19-10.75 in the women's long jump for a third-place finish, PR, and tie the seventh-best mark in school history. 

The Bobcats recorded 30 PRs during the meet.  

Texas State continues its indoor season on January 20 at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

Leonard Hilton Memorial Invitational - Results 
Women's Weight Throw 
4. Utitofon Sam – 18.70m/59-0.75; PR 
6. Madison Sloan – 16.84m/55-3 
8. Lauryn Small – 16.39m/53-9.25 

Women's Shot Put  
2. Melanie Duron – 16.29m/53-5.5; 3rd-best in school history 
3. Carly Watts – 14.68m/48-2 
5. Sophia Haberer – 14.35m/47-01 
7. Lauryn Small – 14.17m/46-6 

Men's Shot Put 
14. Simon Thor – 13.02m/42-8.75  
19. Easton Hammond – 12.01m/39-5; PR  
21. Victor Petrov – 9.15m/30-0.25; PR 

Women's High Jump 
T-10. Chinenye Uzoh – 1.60m/5-3; PR  
14. Luize Opola – 1.55m/5-01   

Men's High Jump  
3. Aiden Hayes – 2.10m/6-10.75; T-4th-best in school history 

Women's Long Jump  
3. Mathilde Canet – 6.06/19-10.75; T-7th-best in school history  
6. Amaya McBride – 5.30m/17.4.75; PR  

Men's Long Jump  
4. Chris Preddie – 7.27m/23.10.25 
12. Lamine Sall – 6.61m/21-8.25; PR 
22. Victor Petrov – 6.00m/19-8.25; PR 

Women's Triple Jump  
2. Precious Okougbodu – 12.49m/40-11.75; PR 
- Mathilde Canet – FOUL   

Men's Pole Vault  
7. Jackson Brendlmaier – 4.48m/14-8.25; PR 
- Easton Hammond – NH  
- Simon Thor – DNS  

Women's Pole Vault 
T-4. Breanna Brandes – 3.60m/11-9.75 
T-9. Kaylee Crank – 3.45m/11-3.75; PR 
- Matilde Poli – NH  

Women's 60 Meter  
Finals 
8. Ma'Khi Falkquay – 7.53 

Prelims 
6. Ma'Khi Falkquay – 7.50  
9. Taejha Badal – 7.53; PR 
17. Kaylee Lewis – 7.72 
33. Amaya McBride – 7.99; PR 
- Jayda Dillon - DNS 

Men's 60 Meter 
Finals 
3. Dominick Yancy – 6.70; 2nd-best in school history   
4. Shawn Collins – 6.75; T-8th-best in school history 

Prelims 
4. Dominick Yancy – 6.74; T-4th-best in school history 
5. Shawn Collins – 6.75; T-8th-best in school history  
10. Daniel Harrold – 6.84; PR 
- Shedrack Akpeki - DNS 
- Victor Petrov - DNS 

Women 600 Yard Run  
6. Kila Rodas - 1:26.75; PR 
7. Breanna Clark - 1:27.00  

Men's 60 Meter Hurdles  
Finals 
3. Daniel Harrold – 7.71; 1st-best in school history 

Prelims 
2. Daniel Harrold - 7.75; 2nd-best in school history 
29. Easton Hammond - 9.31; PR  
32. Victor Petrov - 10.0; PR 

Women's 60 Meter Hurdles  
Finals 
7. Kerrington Johnson – 8.70 

Prelims 
8. Kerrington Johnson – 8.65 
15. Ayesha Nelson – 8.90  
39. Amaya McBride – 10.73; PR 
- Luize Opola – DNS  

Women's 1 Mile Run  
12. Abigail Parra – 5:09.88; PR 
23. Kimberly Gloria – 5:23.80; PR 
24. Daniela Wisniewski – 5:24.11: PR  

Men's 1 Mile Run   
14. Jake Smith – 4:23.22; PR 
15. Franco Melhado – 4:23.77 

Men's 800 Meter Run 
5. Julian Dominguez – 1:57.61; PR   
6. Santos Flores – 2:00.38  
Toby Carrejo - DNS 

Women's 3000 Meter Run  
11. Alexia Tiscareno Macias – 10:19.78; PR  
- Abigail Parra - DNF  

Men's 3000 Meter Run  
4. Jake Smith – 8:38.22; PR   
5. Jon Hrivnak – 8:40.17   
8. Nathan Morales – 8:44.38; PR  
13. Jack Deelman – 8:57.53; PR 
17. Anthony Sandoval – 9:07.94; PR   
Franco Melhado – DNF  

Men's 4x400 Relay 
9. Petrov, Flores, Dominguez, Hammond– 3:30.52