Lumberjack Team Challenge: Northern Arizona Shines Bright on Friday Nights!

FINAL EVENTS

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (Jan. 17, 2025) –

Resuming right where it paused, the Northern Arizona track and field squads returned to the Skydome on Friday evening, hosting the Lumberjack Team Challenge.
 
As a collective, the Lumberjacks achieved seven new all-time top performances. On the women’s front, Alex Carlson now stands fifth all-time in the mile and 10^th in the 800-meters, while Ronan Gallagher achieved the eighth-farthest weight throw mark in the program’s history and Shanye Harris recorded the eighth fastest 60-meters time at NAU.
 
For the men, Desmond Lott achieved personal bests in both the weight throw and shot put for the second consecutive meet, now ranking fifth and eighth in those events. Joshua Anderson also registered the 10^th-fastest time in the 400-meters.
 
Carlson completed the mile in 4:37.27, the top time in Division I this year when adjusted for altitude. Ford Washburn also finished with a time of 4:04.08, which ranks as the third fastest in the nation when adjusted.
 
Moreover, the Lumberjacks secured victories in 10 separate events.
 
The women’s field events commenced strongly with Sariyah Horne-Kemp and Gallagher finishing first and second in the weight throw, respectively. Horne-Kemp launched 18.23 meters for a seasonal best, while Gallagher threw 18.21 meters for a new personal best that ranks eighth all-time at NAU. All NAU athletes progressed to the finals of the event, with Larissa Francois achieving fourth with a throw of 16.32 meters. In her initial collegiate competition, Jamie Jacobs secured sixth place with a mark of 14.93 meters.
 
Francois was NAU’s top finisher in the shot put, taking sixth with a throw of 12.68 meters. Gallagher also set her second personal best of the day in the shot put, achieving a distance of 12.22 meters.
 
In the women’s long jump, Alexa Hamilton reached the finals, finishing eighth overall with a new personal best of 5.59 meters. Hamilton also made her collegiate debut in the high jump, concluding ninth in that event after clearing 1.57 meters.
 
Sydnie Watkins advanced to the finals of the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.81 seconds. She improved her performance to 8.69 in the finals, concluding fifth overall.
 
Harris also progressed to the finals of the 60-meters, achieving a personal best of 7.51 that ranks ninth all-time in the program’s history. In the finals, she improved to 7.49, marking the eighth fastest time in the program’s history, finishing fifth.
 
The Lumberjack women set seven personal bests in the women’s mile. Carlson triumphed with a time of 4:37.27, which is good for fifth all-time at NAU.
 
Agnes McTighe, in her debut race for Northern Arizona, finished second with a time of 4:44.92. Close behind her was Ali Upshaw in third, clocking in at 4:45.02. The Lumberjacks were further represented by Ava Mitchell (5^th, 4:48.09), Elise Stearns (6^th, 4:48.27), Emma Stutzman (7^th, 4:48.69), Alyson Churchill (9^th, 4:51.93), and Hayley Burns (10^th, 4:55.07) to complete the top ten.
 
Carlson also achieved a new top ten mark in the women’s 800-meters, finishing second (but first among collegians) with a personal best of 2:09.49 in her first indoor collegiate 800-meters, ranking 10^th in program history. Odessa Zentz followed with a personal best of 2:10.36, securing third place. She was followed by Agnes McTighe (4^th, 2:12.66) and Kiki Vaughn (5^th, 2:17.49).
 
In the 3k, Stearns secured first place with a time of 9:50.00. Upshaw clinched second in 9:55.89, while Burns (4^th, 9:57.94) and Stutzman (5^th, 9:58.19) rounded out the results.
 
Taylor Jacobs timed 57.15 in the women’s 400-meters, placing third. Ariel Haygood claimed eighth in 58.49, followed by Alaynah Reed in 10^th with 58.51. Janelle Sanchez achieved a personal best of 59.88 to conclude the results.
 
In the women’s 200-meters, Brooklyn Grizzell and Taylor Jacobs both made their collegiate debuts. Grizzell finished seventh in 25.84 while Jacobs came in sixth (26.05).
 
The women’s 4×400-meter relay squad secured first place with a time of 3:51.71.
 
NAU also took home first in the men’s throwing events with Garret Bernt throwing 21.94 meters. Lott finished second with a new personal best distance of 21.25 meters, placing fifth all-time in program history. Nikolas Strait also progressed to the finals and completed fourth with a mark of 18.88 meters for a personal best.
 
Lipsey was the top finisher in the men’s long jump, achieving fifth place with a personal best leap of 6.85 meters.
 
In the men’s high jump, all three competitors achieved personal bests. Christian Mutengela finished second with a height of 1.95 meters along with Carter Anderson. Shon Martin secured fifth after clearing 1.90 meters.
 
Three Lumberjacks progressed to the finals of the men’s 60-meter hurdles in Josiah Johnson (8.10), Tyson Givens (8.14), and Martin (8.20). All three improved their times significantly in the finals, with Johnson and Martin running 8.09 to finish fifth and sixth, respectively, while Givens clocked 8.13 to secure seventh.
 
In the men’s 60-meters, Lamar Smith (6.86) and Ian Lipsey (6.92) both advanced to the finals. Both improved their times in the finals, with Smith taking fourth in 6.85 and Lipsey finishing sixth in 6.89. Smith also placed third in the 200-meters with a personal best time of 21.75.
 
In a competitive men’s mile, Washburn clinched victory with a new personal best of 4:04.08. Following him, the Lumberjacks secured positions three through nine, with David Mullarkey finishing third (4:05.93), Drew Bosley finishing fourth (4:07.32), and Caleb Easton rounding out the top five in fifth place (4:09.40).
 
Mullarkey then proceeded to win the men’s 3k, crossing the finish line at 8:23.81. Erik Le Roux finished second (8:27.07), followed by Randy Espinoza (4^th, 8:44.48).
 
Caleb Easton won the men’s 800-meters with a personal best of 1:56.09. Clay Shively was right behind him, claiming third in 1:56.47, while Santiago Prosser came in fourth with a time of 1:57.78.
 
Anderson placed seventh in the 400-meters with a new personal best of 48.08, ranking 10^th all-time in the program’s history.
 
The men’s 4×400-meter relay team ended in first place with a time of 3:14.06.
 
Northern Arizona has nearly two weeks off before its next competition, hosting the Ron Mann Classic on Jan. 31 in the Skydome. A select number of athletes will also head to Boston, Massachusetts, for the John Thomas Terrier Classic on Jan. 31-Feb. 1.