ULM hosts first track and field event at new stadium

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This weekend history was made as ULM hosted its first track meet since 2013 with the Warhawk Classic.

The Warhawk Classic included Grambling, Southern Miss, Southern Arkansas, La Tech, Alcorn, Northwestern St. and McNeese St.

The meet kicked off with the honoring of the team’s nine seniors who were Alton Clay, Brice Chaney, Dominique Allen, Bailie Cunningham, LaPorcha Griggs, Devyn Hosby, Jemal Parharm, Kyle Weiss, and Josie Wood. 

It was a big deal for the seniors, who has a couple of years ago, did not have expectations of ever running at a home meet.

The day was not one for hosting a track meet it was windy and rainy. 

The sun peaked out but only for a minute to give false hope to those who were in attendance.

The times of the running were not what you would have expected. Not all of  the runners were affected by the weather with Eric Hawkins winning the 400 (49.41).

LeVaugh Battick in the 110 hurdles (14.45) in a race where his heat had to run again  because the hurdles were not set up properly and Elias Keter in the 1500 (4:07.08).

The field showed that the weather was not a problem. In the javelin, ULM had three top five finishes with Cole McKnight taking first overall with a throw of 195 feet 11 inches, Mason Nichols and Austin Walker finished fourth and fifth respectfully.

Jemal Parharm kept his jumping dominance at hand winning the long jump with a jump of 24 feet  and seven inches.

In the shot put Kyle Weiss , Micah Dye and Alton Clay all finished top 5.

In the discus toss ULM almost won the event with Alton Clay finishing second and Kyle Weiss finishing fourth.

Alton Clay won big in the Men’s Hammer Throw with a toss of 207 feet seven inches, Micah Dye and Christopher Brinkley finished in the top 10 of the event.

Freshman Hayden Holloway took third in the women’s hammer throw with a PR toss of 153 feet, two inches.

“Well, I am disappointed in my performance not with the placing, but the numbers. I’m definitely building as the season progresses. The big one is coming,” Clay said.

“The meet was a good experience. Our stadium is a work in progress but we made the absolute best of it, said sprinter Jacelyn Jaden Garrett-Martinez.

The team as a whole competed well despite the conditions, and it was the most fun I have had with my teammates,” said Garrett-Martinez

The next track meet will be on April 21at LSU for the Alumni Gold meet. The meet is scheduled to start at 9 a.m.

After the Alumni Gold meet, the Warhawks will head to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, to compete at the Southern Miss open.

The meet is scheduled for Saturday April 28.

Next, the Warhawks will get to showcase their talents at the Sun Belt championship that will be held in San Marcos , Texas.

It will be a three day event last from Friday  May 11 through Sunday May13. 

The NCAA tournament is scheduled for Wednesday June 6 through Saturday June9.