McCartney, hurdlers shine in regular-season finale

Saturday, May 3

Tucson, Ariz.

10 a.m.

Grand Canyon

Desert Heat Classic

Photo by: John Harris

5/4/2025 8:05:00 AM | Track and Field

Results Photo Gallery

Graduate breaks own GCU record in 400-meter hurdles at Tucson meet

By: Josh Hauser

TUCSON, Ariz. — The Grand Canyon track and field team closed its regular season with a series of standout performances at the Desert Heat Classic, with athletes posting nationally and regionally ranked marks in a strong showing ahead of the WAC Outdoor Championships.

"I thought we had a really good final regular-season meet and more importantly got through the meet healthy," GCU head coach Tom Flood said.

The Lopes' meet was sparked by the men's 110-meter hurdles, where sophomore Francisco Marques (13.66 seconds), senior Cam Wilmington (13.79) and graduate Daviciea McCartney (13.85) each broke the 14-second barrier. The trio ranks among the West Region's top 12 individually, with Marques at No. 4 and Wilmington at No. 10.

"Our men's high hurdles group started the meet off with a bang," Flood said. "Our men's 110-meter hurdles group is ranked third in the NCAA."

GCU sophomore hurdler Prosper Ekporere is also a part of that third-ranked event group and holds the best time, but he was held out of Saturday's meet due to rest. Ekporere, Marques, Wilmington and McCartney hold the top four spots in the WAC for the 110 hurdles.

McCartney added to his day by breaking his school record in the 400-meter hurdles, clocking in at 49.89 — a mark that ranks No. 10 nationally and leads the WAC. Wilmington followed with a 50.43, placing him 23rd in the NCAA and fourth in the West.

"Daviciea and Cam had a great meet and both doubled back in the 400-meter hurdles with Daviciea breaking his own school record with a time of 49.89," Flood said. "That time ranks 10th in the NCAA."

Lopes senior Joseph Harding doubled in the sprints with times of 10.34 in the 100 (No. 19 West Region) and 21.14 in the 200, while freshman Nina Thevenin ran 11.52 in the 100 and 23.90 in the 200, both ranking top 20 in the region.

GCU also saw strong performances in the 400 meters with a WAC-leading mark from senior Joshua Gittens (46.55, 12th West Region) and junior Taliyah Booker (53.72), while junior Germain Lemaitre impressed in the 800 meters with a time of 1 minute, 48.51 seconds.

Lopes senior Lucy George threw 46.50 meters in the javelin, her personal best and the No. 2 mark in the WAC.

"We have positioned ourselves very well to make a lot of noise at the WAC Outdoor Championships in two weeks," Flood said. "We will work on finalizing the conference teams later this week."

The WAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held at UT Arlington's Maverick Stadium on May 15-17, where the GCU men will look to defend four consecutive conference titles.