Lopes sweep first meet

Friday, January 12

Flagstaff, Ariz.

3 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Friday Night Challenge

1/12/2018 10:45:00 PM | Track and Field

Results Photo Gallery

Hamberlin breaks school record in Friday Night Challenge

By: Fletcher Like

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Just a week after returning to campus and with just four practices in 2018, the track and field team won the Friday Night Challenge hosted by Northern Arizona University. Josh Hamberlin broke his own school record in the weight throw by almost a full meter with a throw of 16.40m as the team begins its WAC Indoor title defense.

As a whole, head coach Tom Flood was pleased with his program's start to the new season. "It was a quick turnaround for us to have the first meet at the end of the first week back to school," Flood said. "We shook off some rust in a couple of events, but we have several events we still need plenty of work in."

In a double-dual meet, in which the scoring is dependent upon the head-to-head between each attending school, the Lopes swept the meet, with both the men and the women winning each matchup.

"I was impressed with the performances of Isaac Allenarem, Ryan Girk, Tope Williams, Briana Myers, Mariah Montoya, our female vaulters, Nathaniel Wesolek and our throwers," Flood recapped.

Allanarem ran a 47.78* in the 400m and was a part of the 4x400m team that ran a 3:17.97*.

Tope Williams ran a 7.63* in the 60m dash and a 25.31* in the 200m.

Ryan Girk ran 6.87* in a tight 60m dash and 21.83* in the 200m.

Briana Myers ran a 7.86* in the 60m and 8.72* in the 60m hurdles.

Mariah Montoya was the lone GCU athlete in the 3000m and ran a time of 11:05.83*.

Nathaniel Wesolek jumped 5.03m (16ft 6in) in the pole vault, one of just a handful of GCU vaulters to ever jump over 5.00m and the women jumped well too. Jennifer Johnson jumped 3.97m (13ft 0.25in), with freshman Alyson Schwartz jumping 3.67m (12ft 0.5in), with the rest of the women all clearing heights above 3.07m (10ft 0.75in).

"This was our first test in our long journey to repeat as WAC Indoor Champions," Flood added.

Tarasue Barnett is one of those individual champions looking to defend her personal title in the WAC. Barnett finished the shot put with a throw of 13.94m and a weight throw of 16.74m.

With a short turnaround, the Lopes head to Albuquerque next week to compete in the MLK Jr. Invitational, hosted by University of New Mexico.

"Overall, I am very pleased with the performances in our first meet of the year," Flood said of his team as a whole. "We will get back to work on Monday to get even better and head to Albuquerque on Friday for another indoor meet."

For the full results of the meet, click here.

* = unadjusted altitude time