Wildcats Shatter School Records in Spectacular Indoor Season Debut

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Arizona Track & Field commenced the 2024-25 indoor season on Friday at the Friday Night Axe ‘Em Open hosted by Northern Arizona at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome.

The Wildcats began the season on a high note, concluding the competition with three school records, seven event victories, 13 top-three placements, and numerous personal bests. Jade Brown (60m), Zach Extine (60m Hurdles), and McKenna Watson (300m) etched their names in the Arizona record books, each setting program records during the season opener.
 
TOP-THREE FINISHES
Jade Brown – First, Women’s 60m (School Record)
Zach Extine – First, Men’s 60m Hurdles (School Record)
Tapenisa Havea – First, Women’s Shot Put
Tyler Michelini – First, Men’s Shot Put
Paris Mikinski – First, Women’s High Jump
McKenna Watson – First, Women’s 300m (School Record)
Trayvion White-Austin – First, Men’s 60m
Isaac Davis – Second, Men’s 600m
Emma Gates – Second, Women’s High Jump
Tapenisa Havea – Second, Women’s Weight Throw
Youssef Koudssi – Third, Men’s Shot Put
Zach Landa – Third, Men’s Weight Throw
Lauryn Love – Third, Women’s Shot Put
 
FIELD HIGHLIGHTS
The Wildcats secured first and second places in the women’s high jump, with Paris Mikinski winning the event and Emma Gates finishing as the runner-up. Mikinski surpassed a significant personal best height of 6-0.75 (1.85m) to kick off the season emphatically and claim the victory. Gates achieved a height of 5-9.75 (1.77m) to take second place.
 
Tyler Michelini triumphed in the men’s shot put with a notable personal best throw of 62-10.75 (19.17m). Youssef Koudssi captured third place overall with a measurement of 62-1.25 (18.93m), resulting in the Wildcats securing two podium finishes in the event. Michael Ogbeiwi, Sam Hala’ufia, Richard Legarra, and Zach Landa occupied the seventh to tenth positions in the competition.
 
Tapenisa Havea claimed victory in the women’s shot put with an indoor personal best of 53-7.5 (16.34m), ensuring that the Wildcats excelled in both the men’s and women’s categories. Lauryn Love finished third with an indoor personal best throw of 50-4 (15.34m).
 
The Wildcats launched their indoor season with a pair of top-three finishes featuring personal bests in the weight throw events. In the women’s weight throw, Tapenisa Havea secured second place with a personal best of 57-0.25 (17.38m). Lauryn Love also performed strongly, placing fifth in this event. In the men’s weight throw, Zach Landa secured third place overall with a personal best measurement of 69-2 (21.08m). 

Michael Ogbeiwi placed fifth overall with a personal best throw of 62-0.25 (18.90m) while Tyler Michelini finished sixth with a mark of 59-3 (18.06m). Youssef Koudssi also captured eighth place in the competition.
 
In the women’s pole vault, freshman Kelly de Jong achieved fourth place overall, followed by Olivia Dillon in sixth and Ena McMahon in seventh. On the men’s side, freshman Sylvan Osman also attained fourth place overall with a successful clearance of 16-4.75 (5.00m).
 
In the men’s high jump, freshmen Kaleb Kimaita and Sylvan Osman finished in seventh and eighth positions, respectively.
 
TRACK HIGHLIGHTS
Senior Zach Extine initiated the season swiftly in the men’s 60m hurdles. During the preliminaries, Extine achieved a personal best time of 7.82, closely approaching the school record, advancing to the finals with the fastest time of the day. In the finals, Extine improved his mark to 7.74, officially setting a new Arizona school record and winning the 60m hurdles event, surpassing Jeff Hunter’s previous record of 7.77 from 2006.
 
Four Wildcats proceeded to the finals in the women’s 60m. Jade Brown clocked the top time in the prelims at 7.38, Jenica Bosko achieved the second fastest time of 7.49, Hollan Powers finished fourth with a time of 7.50, and McKenna Watson posted the fifth fastest time of 7.50 (PR). Both Zana Ryan and Dakota Minor also achieved personal best times in the prelims. In the finals, Jade Brown set a new school record with a time of 7.23 to claim victory. Brown reduced her personal best, breaking Brianna Glenn’s mark of 7.25 set in 2002. Hollan Powers also improved her time to 7.46, finishing fifth overall.
 
McKenna Watson shattered the Arizona school record in the women’s 300m with a time of 38.03. Watson triumphed in the event, breaking Maureen Bookstrom’s prior record of 39.69 from 1987. Ava Simms concluded fourth in the event with a time of 39.29, which also would have surpassed the former program record. Camila Aguilar-Perez, Brooke Nordman, and Presley Money finished fifth, sixth, and eighth, respectively. In the men’s 300m, Brian Limage secured eighth.
 
Both Trayvion White-Austin and Tyson Tippett qualified for the finals in the men’s 60m. White-Austin recorded the second fastest time in the prelims at 6.72, while Tippett finished seventh with a time of 6.79. Brian Limage also ended in the tenth position overall for the Wildcats. In the finals of the event, White-Austin emerged victorious with a near-personal best time of 6.65. Tippett finished fifth with a time of 6.76.
 
Isaac Davis took second place in the men’s 600m, achieving a personal best time of 1:18.17 in the event. Christian Simmons rounded out in seventh overall with a personal best time of 1:20.62, while Evan Simmons placed eighth with a time of 1:21.56. In the women’s 600m, Keilee Hall finished fifth overall with a time of 1:34.63.
 
Brooke Nordman qualified in seventh during the preliminaries of the women’s 60m hurdles to reach the finals in the event. In the finals, Nordman clocked a time of 8.71, securing fourth place overall.
 
UP NEXT
The Wildcats’ indoor season is now underway, with their next contest scheduled for January 17-18 in Lubbock, Texas, for The Corky Classic hosted by Texas Tech.
 
FOLLOW THE WILDCATS!
Fans can stay up-to-date with the latest in Arizona Cross Country and Track & Field by following us on Facebook (ArizonaTrack), X (@ArizonaTrack), Instagram (@arizonatrack), and YouTube (@arizonawildcatstrack).