University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Saturday, April 8
Greeley, Colo.
University of Northern Colorado
vs
Tom Benich Invitational
Photo by: Ross LaDue
UNC Sets Multiple PRs at Home
4/8/2023 4:35:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field, Track & Field
GREELEY, Colo – After a four-year hiatus, the Northern Colorado track and field team hosted the Tom Benich Invitational at Nottingham Field.
The day was highlighted by 27 different personal records being broken by the Bears, including August van De Weijer winning the 400m, Regina Mpigachai winning the 800m and Raphael Egbuchilem winning the 100m.
Our kids were very excited to compete in front of a home crowd as exemplified by their outstanding performances today," director of track and field Wayne Angel said. "Obviously, I'm super excited for our winner's today; they were highly motivated. We had so many PR's this afternoon, I have never seen this team compete at such an elevated level. I am very excited to see what they will do here in five weeks at conference championships".
Van De Weijer won the 400m race by almost three-full seconds, crossing in 46.96, adjusted to 47.07 for altitude, which sits atop the Big Sky rankings.
In the women's 800m, Mpigachai was just shy of setting a school record, finishing with a time of 2:10.67, adjusted to 2:09.99, which ranks fourth in the Big Sky. Following up behind her in second place was Chloe Rylance with a time of 2:14.04 (2:13.35 adjusted), a personal best for the freshman, and a time that ranks fifth in the conference.
Freshman sprinter Raphael Egbuchilem turned in a blistering time of 10.49 in the 100m to win the event. His adjusted time of 10.52 sits atop the Big Sky. In the 200m, Egbuchilem also set a personal best with a time of 21.14 to be the only Bear to win two events on the day.
Craiesha Johnson and Jesse Hayward also won their events for the Bears. Johnson put in a time of 1:02.43 in the 400m hurdles, while Hayward finished the 800m in 1:52.81.
Back in the women's 800m, four other UNC runners set personal bests in the event; Julia Brown, Summer Olson, Shantell Hafner and Natasha Perales. On the men's side, Colton Magnuson and Zach Wells also set PRs in the 800m.
Running along with Egbuchilem in the 100m and 200m, Edgar Garcia set personal bests in the events, clocking in at 10.98 and 21.14, respectively.
Jaylen Lee set a personal best in the 100m sprints as well, finishing in 11.45.
In the hurdles, Moise Bennett marked a new PR in the 110m hurdles with a time of 14.53, while Jacob McDonough set a new personal best in the 400m hurdles at 55.18,
Dylan Steele claimed a new PR in the men's 1500m with a time of 4:22.97.
The Bears also had numerous field and multi-event athletes set new bests. Both Jameson Rembert and Will Bergmann each set three new PRs on the day. Rembert won the javelin with a throw of 50.95m, and set bests in the 110m hurdles and the pole vault. Bergmann set bests in the 200m, long jump and the 400m, in which he took fourth with a time of 50.73.
Alexa Oatman set a new personal best in the pole vault, clearing a mark of 3.60m. Steven Cross also set a new best in the pole vault with a height of 3.40m and a best in the javelin with a throw of 37.99m.
Kiana Van Haaren rounded out the Bear's highlight day, setting new marks in the long jump at 12.40m, before going on to win the women's 100m with a time of 12.40.
"There were a lot of really good things that happened today," Angel added. "We were very excited to host the Tom Benich Invitational after a 4-year hiatus, and we have a beautiful facility and we enjoyed coming out and putting on this meet. We look forward to hosting the Big Sky Championships on May 10th."
UP NEXT
The Bears head to the Tom Jones Memorial hosted by Florida on April 13-15, in Gainesville, Fla.
The day was highlighted by 27 different personal records being broken by the Bears, including August van De Weijer winning the 400m, Regina Mpigachai winning the 800m and Raphael Egbuchilem winning the 100m.
Our kids were very excited to compete in front of a home crowd as exemplified by their outstanding performances today," director of track and field Wayne Angel said. "Obviously, I'm super excited for our winner's today; they were highly motivated. We had so many PR's this afternoon, I have never seen this team compete at such an elevated level. I am very excited to see what they will do here in five weeks at conference championships".
Van De Weijer won the 400m race by almost three-full seconds, crossing in 46.96, adjusted to 47.07 for altitude, which sits atop the Big Sky rankings.
In the women's 800m, Mpigachai was just shy of setting a school record, finishing with a time of 2:10.67, adjusted to 2:09.99, which ranks fourth in the Big Sky. Following up behind her in second place was Chloe Rylance with a time of 2:14.04 (2:13.35 adjusted), a personal best for the freshman, and a time that ranks fifth in the conference.
Freshman sprinter Raphael Egbuchilem turned in a blistering time of 10.49 in the 100m to win the event. His adjusted time of 10.52 sits atop the Big Sky. In the 200m, Egbuchilem also set a personal best with a time of 21.14 to be the only Bear to win two events on the day.
Craiesha Johnson and Jesse Hayward also won their events for the Bears. Johnson put in a time of 1:02.43 in the 400m hurdles, while Hayward finished the 800m in 1:52.81.
Back in the women's 800m, four other UNC runners set personal bests in the event; Julia Brown, Summer Olson, Shantell Hafner and Natasha Perales. On the men's side, Colton Magnuson and Zach Wells also set PRs in the 800m.
Running along with Egbuchilem in the 100m and 200m, Edgar Garcia set personal bests in the events, clocking in at 10.98 and 21.14, respectively.
Jaylen Lee set a personal best in the 100m sprints as well, finishing in 11.45.
In the hurdles, Moise Bennett marked a new PR in the 110m hurdles with a time of 14.53, while Jacob McDonough set a new personal best in the 400m hurdles at 55.18,
Dylan Steele claimed a new PR in the men's 1500m with a time of 4:22.97.
The Bears also had numerous field and multi-event athletes set new bests. Both Jameson Rembert and Will Bergmann each set three new PRs on the day. Rembert won the javelin with a throw of 50.95m, and set bests in the 110m hurdles and the pole vault. Bergmann set bests in the 200m, long jump and the 400m, in which he took fourth with a time of 50.73.
Alexa Oatman set a new personal best in the pole vault, clearing a mark of 3.60m. Steven Cross also set a new best in the pole vault with a height of 3.40m and a best in the javelin with a throw of 37.99m.
Kiana Van Haaren rounded out the Bear's highlight day, setting new marks in the long jump at 12.40m, before going on to win the women's 100m with a time of 12.40.
"There were a lot of really good things that happened today," Angel added. "We were very excited to host the Tom Benich Invitational after a 4-year hiatus, and we have a beautiful facility and we enjoyed coming out and putting on this meet. We look forward to hosting the Big Sky Championships on May 10th."
UP NEXT
The Bears head to the Tom Jones Memorial hosted by Florida on April 13-15, in Gainesville, Fla.
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