ALBUQUERQUE, NM. --- Wayland Baptist's men's and women's track & field teams had a strong showing at the New Mexico Team Open, held January 30–31 in Albuquerque, gaining valuable experience and posting solid performances against a deep and competitive field.
On the men's side, the Pioneers were led by a group of versatile athletes who competed across sprints, distance, and field events. In the 60-meter hurdles, Lonnie Irving and Marcus McLemore represented Wayland in the preliminaries, gaining important early-season reps against top regional competition. Irving also competed in the 600 meters, finishing in 1:28.29, while
Evans Pololet and
Brandon Marines took on the demanding 800-meter run, continuing to build strength and endurance as the season progresses.
Wayland's distance group showed promise in the mile, where
Ryder Robison and
Ethan Jonason posted times of 4:36.03 and 4:37.57, respectively. Both runners battled through a crowded field and maintained strong pacing throughout the race. Their efforts reflected the depth and consistency developing within the Pioneer distance program.
In the field events,
Anthony Willis stood out with a 6.68-meter mark in the long jump and a 13.63-meter effort in the triple jump, finishing among the top competitors in both events.
Donovan Melendez and
Malik White also contributed in the long jump, while McLemore cleared 1.80 meters in the high jump, continuing his steady improvement.
The men's 4x400-meter relay teams closed out the meet with determination. Wayland's "A" squad of
Case Drum,
Daeandre Harris,
Marsaul Adley, and
Jesus Zubia posted a time of 3:19.84, while the "B" team followed with a 3:35.79 performance. Both groups showed strong chemistry and competitive drive, providing a solid foundation for future relay success.
On the women's side, the Pioneers also competed with confidence and resilience throughout the two-day meet. Wayland athletes took on strong regional and national programs, gaining valuable experience in both track and field events. The women's squad demonstrated depth across multiple disciplines, continuing to develop consistency and confidence early in the indoor season.
Sophomore
Mia Gray was a standout for the Pioneers in the Women's Shot Put, finishing in 9
th place out of 30 athletes with a furthest toss of 12.69m.
The Wayland Baptist track & field teams will compete next in the Texas Wesleyan Winter Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas.
