Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
Highlighted by freshman A’riel William’s school record mark of 1.78m in the high jump, the Louisiana Tech Track and Field team opened the 2024 indoor season at the Arkansas Invitational on Friday evening inside the Randal Tyson Track Center.
Williams’ record leap occurred in the first event of the day for Tech, shattering the previous mark of (1.76m) set by Chloe Lautric on Jan. 15, 2016. The Barbe, La. native took second overall in the event.
Sophomore Tia Reder was impressive in the women’s long jump, finishing in ninth place with a mark of 5.43 meters, just off her personal best of 5.55 that she recorded at the Conference USA Indoor Championships.
In the 60-meter hurdle prelims, Freshman Tonie-Ann Forbes broke onto the scene by winning heat one with a time of 8.43 seconds, while Nike Praetzel clocked in at a personal-best 8.70.
Forbes earned her second win of the day by blowing away the field in heat four of the Women’s 60-meter prelims with a time of 7.46, which placed her third overall in the prelims and advanced her to the 60-meter finals.
The men’s 60-meter prelims saw Rodney Heath Jr. and Julian Forde advance to the finals with times of 6.75 and 6.80, respectively. Heath edged out Kevin Jackson of Oral Roberts to win heat four of the event. Karo Oghomi was just .4 seconds away from his personal best, with a time of 6.90 in the event.
Tech went 8-9-10 in the women’s 400-meter courtesy of freshman Osaretin Usenbor, Janaia Williams, and Jamara Patterson, who posted times of 57.14, 57.90, and 58.47, respectively.
Tim Rummelhagen paced LA Tech by running the 400 in 49.34 to finish in ninth place. Laeden Tucker was next in 11th with a time of 49.50, while Phillip Gray Jr. followed behind, finishing in 49.58 to take 12th place.
Saran Kouyate, Faith Tarver, and Chanel Honeywell finished 3-4-5 in the women’s 300. Kouyate set a new personal best with a 39.31 while Tarver crossed at 40.01. Honeywell won heat three with a time of 40.07.
Jamie Sancho picked up the first event win of the day with a 34.16 in the men’s 300. Heath was not far behind in third at 35.02. Jacob Phillips finished 11th in his first collegiate action with a time of 35.62.
Forbes came back for the 60-meter hurdles finals and improved her time to 8.41 to finish fourth. Two races later, Forbes would pick up a second fourth-place finish, this time in the 60-meters with a time of 7.444. She would be .002 seconds behind Rosey Effoing from Arkansas for third.
Just hours after setting her personal best in the 60-meter hurdles, Nike Praetzel would improve upon that mark. She would finish with a time of 8.68 for sixth. Praetzel would not get long to rest as the 200 meters would be her next event about 30 minutes later. She would take her heat with a time of 25.36 and finish 12th overall, setting her third PR in as many events.
Devin Walton and Marshall Ellis finished in the top 15 on the men’s side. Walton had a time of 22.02 for 12th while Ellis crossed at 22.07 for 15th, just .007 seconds behind 13th.
The men’s and women’s 4×400 teams finished out the meet, winning their heats. The women had a time of 3:46.69 for fourth place, and the men crossed at 3:17.16 for fifth.
