(From left) Redshirt Junior Alex Spink follows Redshirt Junior Simon Straub and Redshirt Freshman Gustavo Rivera participate in the 1500 meter sprint on April 4 at the Maverick Invitational. \\ Enrique Quintero for The Criterion
Broken clouds riddled the sky with snow as the Colorado Mesa University (CMU) track and field team hosted their first outdoor meet of the season.
Despite cold and unpredictable conditions, the Mavs showed out with strong performances across both days of competition, highlighted by junior sprinter Gaby Horton’s trio of event wins and sophomore distance runner Ryan O’Loughlin’s steeplechase mark.
With a quick transition into the outdoor season, Track and Field head coach Travis Floek was still impressed by the team’s consistency and performance heading into their home meet.
“We’ve had a lot of athletes on the team achieving some pretty incredible personal bests […] and the team has been competing really well,” said Floek. “I love the marks we’re putting up.”
The Maverick Invitational came one week after CMU recorded five event victories at the Chuck Hearn Invitational in Pueblo. Among the notable performances was junior Antone Higgs, who had posted a 7.51-meter long jump, the top mark in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) this season.
Thursday’s events included the hammer throw, javelin, pole vault, long jump, the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 5,000-meter run. CMU athletes recorded four event wins and six new entries into the program’s all-time top-10 lists.
Izaak Siefken, a redshirt junior competing in the javelin, placed third with a mark of 61.19 meters in his outdoor season debut. Siefken joined the team late in 2024 after previously playing Division I baseball at the University of Illinois.
“When baseball ended in the fall, I thought I could do it, so I bought one and walked on [to the track and field team],” Siefken said. “Since then, it’s been great, a blessing, for sure.”
He said not competing during the indoor season made the return more meaningful.
“It was kind of getting old seeing everyone else competing, I just wanted to get going,” he said.
O’Loughlin won the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:34.85, which ranks second in CMU program history.
Friday’s events included sprints, hurdles, relays, and additional throws. Horton won the 100-meter dash (11.47) and 200-meter dash (24.12), and anchored the 4×100-meter relay to a first-place finish (45.79). Her 400m relay time now ranks third in school history.
In the hammer throw, Augustine Hancock placed first with a mark of 50.37 meters, following her season-best 53.48-meter throw in Pueblo that ranked 12th nationally. Hancock was an NCAA qualifier in the event last season.
“It feels good to be home, and even though there are a lot of teams coming in, it just means you push a lot harder,” Hancock said. “My goal this year is to do the same thing: keep working hard and keep doing what I love.”
The Maverick men added three event victories on Saturday. Higgs followed up his long jump win from Friday by claiming first in the triple jump with a mark of 14.52 meters, which now ranks seventh all-time in CMU outdoor history. Sophomore jumper Salem Brunk took second with a jump of 14.19 meters.
CMU also secured wins in both men’s relays. Sophomores Walker Mathews and Marik Cummings, redshirt junior Quentin Hartel and senior Teo Casados opened the day by taking the 4×100-meter relay in 40.92 seconds, the ninth-fastest time in program history. To close the meet, junior Justin Blanton, Hartel, sophomore Dylan Campbell and Casados claimed the 4×400-meter relay in 3:20.17.
CMU’s outdoor schedule will continue in the coming weeks as athletes work to secure national qualifying marks and prepare for the RMAC Championships. Their next meet will be on April 10 at the Jo Meaker Classic & Multi in Canyon, Texas.
“I want to have a big meet like this every season, and we’re motivated to put on the best meet we possibly can,” Floek said.