UTEP Track and Field finished their regular season at the Arizona Desert Heat Classic at Roy P. Drachman Stadium in Tucson, Ariz. The meet was an all-day endeavor, with both men’s and women’s events that included hurdles, hammer, javelin, discus, shot put, pole vault, and sprints. Many athletes competed in the meet, with many notable highlights from UTEP.  

Women’s events: 

Junior sprinter and hurdler, Marisa Simpson ran a 13:08 time in the women’s 100-meter hurdles, placing second overall in the meet. Freshman sprinter Princess Uche managed to pull off her personal best time of 54.46 in the women’s 400-meter dash. She was tied for sixth before entering the meet. Freshman distance runner Sandra Maiyo ran her first career 3000-meter race, racking up a time of 9:45.44. 

Senior distance runner Ruth Jerubet made her season best with 11:19.19 in the women’s 3000-meter steeplechase, placing first in the event. She would then be ranked third in C-USA with a time of 11:19.39. Senior sprinter Niesha Burgher made a time of 23.49 in the women’s 200-meter dash, finishing fourth behind three Tennessee runners.  

In non-running and hurdle events, redshirt junior Natalie J. Murillo did personal best in two events. She threw 48.38 meters in the women’s discus and did her best in the hammer with a 50.92-meter throw. Senior Arianne Morais immediately placed first overall in women’s javelin, a throw of 53.36 meters in her first event attempt.  

Men’s events: 

The men’s 4×100-meter relay team made a time of 39.76, just trailing ahead of Oregon’s time. Junior sprinter, Stephen Carreto made his season-best of 53.85 in the men’s 400-meter hurdles, beating his previous time of 54.02, making sixth in C-USA.  

Junior high jumper Jakub Belik placed second in the men’s high jump with 2.13 meters. Junior discus thrower Maurice Westmoreland scored his season-best with a 56.62-meter throw in men’s discus. Junior distance runner Aron Tanui put in his season best of 1:48.93 in the men’s 800-meter, even coming into the meet ranked No.1 in C-USA. 

UTEP will host the 2024 C-USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Kidd Field in El Paso, Texas, from May 10-12.

Catching Marginot is a contributor and may be reached at [email protected].