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University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational
Hessler, Anderson and Graf Rewrite Record Book at Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational
02.10.2024 | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. - The UNC Asheville track and field team returned to Virginia this weekend for the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational at Liberty University.Â
FRIDAY'S TRACK EVENTS
The Bulldogs started the weekend strong with the men's 60m dash finals, which saw junior DaMarr Harvey take 13th place in a time of 7.03. He was joined by senior Zac Weas, who ran a time of 7.26 to finish in 46th.Â
Next on the track was the women's 60m hurdle prelims, which saw senior Maya Dulaney take 43rd position with a time of 9.65. Dulaney was closely followed by freshman Lee Kania, who ran 9.94 to finish in 52nd.Â
There were strong performances in the 400m dash open finals for both the men and women, with Christopher Owens earning a 33rd place finish (51.43) and senior Mallory Haney on the women's side finishing in 13th (59.62). Owens was joined by freshman Isaac Wright, who ran a personal best of 51.70 (38th), and Haney was joined by senior Elyse Myles, who came in 36th (1:01.52).Â
In the 400m invite finals, senior Jalen Anderson took 14th at 49.49. In the same event, senior Anthony Mason finished 25th in 50.85.Â
A total of 10 Bulldogs competed in the various sections of the 800m, with the highest-placed finish being Alison Graf, who finished in 14th at 2:14.57. Freshman Isabel Richardson also joined Graf in the invite finals and finished at 2:16.61 to secure a heat win and 23rd place overall.Â
Alex Haines and Brock Newsome competed in the 800m invite finals to take 19th and 34th place on the men's side. Haines finished in 1:53.88, and Newsome finished in 1:59.66. In the open finals, a top-ten finish was claimed by freshman Jaheem O'Hara (10th - 1:58.90). He was followed by Tom Germann (15th - 2:00.17) and freshman Brandon Kalasnik (17th - 2:02.04). For the Asheville women, freshman Zoe Bos took 12th place (2:21.52), senior Amanda Orban took 23rd place (2:24.11), and sophomore Emily Leo took 33rd place (2:29.13).Â
Three Bulldogs took on the 3000m, with sophomore Sophie Lundin recording a time of 10:42.37 (23rd) in the seeded finals. In the invite finals, senior Adam Hessler crossed the line at 8:22.70 (14th), and freshman Jan Málek followed behind with a finishing time of 8:37.35 (22nd).Â
In the penultimate event of the day, sophomore Alyx Beausoleil and freshman Hanna Guyton competed in the 5000m open finals. In their first indoor collegiate 5000m races, Beausoleil finished eighth in 19:36.58, and Guyton finished ninth in 21:22.73. To conclude the evening, senior Daniel Hopkins took fifth in the men's 3000m (8:46.88), and senior Andrew Okon finished 9th in the men's 5000m (15:39.68).
FRIDAY'S FIELD EVENTS
In the long jump open finals, Francesca Cergol jumped 5.13 m (23rd) and was followed by senior Mallory Haney (4.92m - 41st), senior Maya Dulaney (4.66m - 54th) and junior Chaniya Owens (4.59m - 57th). In the invitational section, Brianna Moore finished fourth with a distance of 5.80m.
In the women's weight throw open finals, freshman Jaelyn Arnold was Asheville's top thrower with a distance of 13.28m (41st). Arnold was closely followed by sophomore Madison Hannah (43rd - 13.21m, PR), senior Raina Jackson (51st - 11.69m), freshman Christina Jones (53rd - 11.04m), and freshman Renae Younce (56th - 8.06m). Â
A trio of Bulldogs competed in the men's long jump open final, with freshman Gabriel Matthews leading the crew with his personal best jump of 6.17m (19th). Senior Mason Bradley finished 26th (5.75m), and senior Adam Graham finished 27th (5.59m).Â
SATURDAY'S TRACK EVENTS
The top performer for Saturday's events was senior Adam Hessler, who added another school record to his resume with his winning time of 4:11.72 in the men's mile open final. Hessler has now recorded back-to-back weekends of school records, with a record in the men's 5000m last week. He was followed by Málek, who ran 4:13.21 to finish 18th, Haines (27th - 4:25.44) and Hopkins (4:25.84).Â
Jalen Anderson joined Hessler with his third broken record in three meets, as Anderson rebroke the 200m record with a time of 21.43. Anderson reset the record last week with a time of 21.58. Anderson finished in fourth place and was joined by Anthony Mason, who finished in 17th place (22.16).Â
In the 1000m, junior Alison Graf posted a school record, with a time of 2:57.28. For the men, Newsome took 22nd (2:36.63). He was closely followed by Lance Surles (24th, 2:39.14, PR) and John Ramirez (25th, 2:41.30. PR).Â
In the women's mile, Richardson led the Bulldogs with a time of 5:04.26 (28th) in the invite final. In the open final, freshman Ella Moore ran a personal best to win her heat in 5:18.48. Also with a PR was sophomore Emily Leo (5:20.31), followed by sophomore Emma Kennett (5:26.38).Â
Dropping the distance to the 200m, Weas finished in 21st (22.31- PR) and freshman Braelin June (46th - 23.31). On the women's side, junior Chaniya Owens finished 69th at 27.26.Â
In the men's 500m, freshman Jaheem O'Hara and senior Adam Graham secured top 10 finishes at 1:07.69 (ninth, PR) and 1:07.97 (10th, PR). For the women, freshman Zoe Bos claimed a top 20 finish with her personal best time of 1:18.74. Senior Amanda Orban finished in 30th with a time of 1:21.61.Â
In the 300m Dash, 12th place was clinched by junior Christopher Owens (36.05), with freshman Braelin June taking 16th (36.58). Another top 20 finish was taken by junior Cergol, who finished in 14th with a time of 41.17.Â
In the 4 x 400m relays, Asheville's men's team of June, Wright, O'Hara, and Graham finished 18th with a time of 3:26.39, and the women's team of Myles, Bos, Cergol, and Graf finished ninth with a time of 4:00.34.Â
SATURDAY'S FIELD EVENTS
Outside the track, Haney finished 25th (1.48m) in the women's high jump final. In the women's shot put final, Jackson was 22nd (12.65). Younce threw 10.60m (41st), followed by Jones (44th - 10.45m. PR) and Hannah (48th - 9.87m). Mathews jumped 13.07m in the men's triple jump final.Â
UP NEXTÂ
The Bulldogs will return to action Feb. 23-24 at the Big South Conference Championships in Blacksburg, Va.Â
Players Mentioned
