Courtesy of Utah State Athletics 

OREM, Utah — Utah State track & field claimed five titles and 17 podium finishes while posting seven performances that rank in the top-10 in school history at the UVU Collegiate Invitational in Orem, Utah, on Thursday.

Sophomore Ayodele Ojo, Jr. and freshman David Konan took second and third place in the men’s 100 meters, crossing the finish line with respective times of 10.14 and 10.18 that also lofted them into second and third in Utah State history. Ojo, a second-team All-American in the 60 meters, finished 0.01 seconds off the USU record as he moved up from fourth all-time. Additionally, the Waxahachie, Texas, native ranks fourth in the country in the 100 meters. Konan posted the second-fastest time of any freshman in the nation and eighth-fastest overall.

USU’s javelin squad had a sensational collective effort on Thursday. Senior Valerie Clark topped the women’s field with a throw of 48.05 meters (157-7.75), her best throw since her silver-medal performance at the 2023 Mountain West Championships. Sophomore Mary Bryan took fourth place with a throw of 44.50 meters (145-12) that earned her the 10th spot in the Utah State javelin top-10 list.

On the men’s side, junior Walker Deede launched the best throw of his career, reaching 69.60 meters (228-4.25) to move from fifth to fourth in USU history and take third place in the competition. The two-time MW silver medalist ranks sixth in the nation in his signature event.

Utah State pole vaulters swept the men’s and women’s titles on a windy spring day in Orem. Freshman Karina Cooper vaulted 4.05 meters (13-3.5) to set her lifetime-best and move to third place in USU history in the event. The native of Camas, Washington, also ranks second among all freshmen in the country and 17th overall. Sophomore Sabrina Fairbanks claimed second place with a jump of 3.85 meters (12-7.5). On the men’s side, senior Javin Richards took first place with his clearance of 5.15 meters (16-10.75).

Sophomore Shay Jones continued her streak of stellar performances as she ran the 200 meters in 23.56 to take second place in the women’s field, moving from eighth to third in Utah State history in the event.

The women’s 4×100-meter relay team of junior Claire Petersen, Jones and freshmen Nia Moore and Adia Ross took first place with a time of 45.87 that also ranks fourth in USU history. Jones earned her fifth career entry in a USU relay top-10 list.

Petersen also led an Aggie podium sweep in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:01.93. Freshman Gracynn Smith took second with a time of 1:02.14, followed by sophomore Elly Jeppsen’s third-place time of 1:03.58.

Sophomore Ethan Peterson took second place in the men’s 800 meters, posting a time of 1:50.53 in his first collegiate 800-meter race. The Farmington, Utah, native’s performance, converted to 1:49.97 for altitude, ranks 16th in the nation so far this outdoor season.

Junior Sam Beckwith took second place in the men’s long jump, clearing a distance of 7.29 meters (23-11).

Senior Milly Garren took second place in the women’s discus, uncorking a throw of 45.98 meters (150-10.25).

Sophomore Carli Nelson made her 3,000-meter steeplechase debut, taking third place with a time of 11:32.53 in her first outdoor race in an Aggie uniform.

Sophomore Brock Bissegger set a personal best and earned the second podium finish of his career, launching a throw of 15.83 meters (51-11.25) in the shot put to take third place.

Utah State will travel out-of-state for the first time of the outdoor season next weekend as they split their squad between the Pepsi Florida Relays in Gainesville, Florida, and the Stanford Invitational in Stanford, California, on Friday-Saturday, April 3-4.

Fans can follow the Utah State track and field programs on X at USUTF_XC, on Facebook at USUTrack and on Instagram at USUTF_XC. Aggies fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on X at USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.

Utah Tech Invitational
Hal Wing Track & Field | Orem, Utah | March 26, 2026

USU Men’s Results:

Event USU Finishers
100 Meters 2. Ayodele Ojo, Jr., 10.14; 3. David Konan, 10.18; 7. Javin Richards, 10.57.
200 Meters 5. Javin Richards, 21.44.
400 Meters 9. Caleb White, 51.10; 11. Porter Holt, 51.29.
800 Meters 2. Ethan Peterson, 1:50.53; 4. Joshua Armstrong, 1:51.59; 11. Drew Hogan, 1:56.30.
1,500 Meters 6. Ernest Green, 3:56.96; 10. Samuel Green, 3:58.13; 23. Joseph McKee, 4:04.79; 29. Caleb Armstrong, 4:08.49; 32. John Simmons, 4:09.29; 37. Tayshaun Ogomo, 4:13.76.
400-Meter Hurdles 4. Brock White, 56.34; 5. Brock Parson, 57.59.
3,000-Meter Steeplechase 5. Stockton Stevens, 9:29.38; 7. Will Dixon, 9:30.94.
Pole Vault 1. Javin Richards, 5.15 meters (16-10.75); Marshall Rasmussen, DNS.
Long Jump 2. Sam Beckwith, 7.29 meters (23-11); 7. Kace Jones, 6.78 meters (22-3).
Triple Jump Sam Beckwith, DNS.
Shot Put 3. Brock Bissegger, 15.83 meters (51-11.25); 4. Joseph Turner, 15.56 meters (51-0.5); 11. Blake Johns, 14.21 meters (46-7.5); 12. Caden Reagan, 13.95 meters (45-9.25).
Discus 5. Joseph Turner, 52.37 meters (171-9.75); 8. Caden Reagan, 47.36 meters (155-4.5); 12. Brock Bissegger, 45.73 meters (150-0.5); 27. Javin Richards, 34.55 meters (113-4.25).
Hammer 5. Blake Johns, 53.16 meters (174-5).
Javelin 3. Walker Deede, 69.60 meters (228-4.25); 7. Kace Jones, 63.61 meters (208-8.25).

USU Women’s Results:

Event (Heat) USU Finishers
100 Meters 5. Adia Ross, 12.05; 15. Krysthina Vlahovic, 12.37.
200 Meters 2. Shay Jones, 23.56; 8. Heidi Harper, 24.88; 10. Nia Moore, 24.97; 17. Alison Richter, 25.60; Kohana Ross, NA.
400 Meters Shay Jones, DNS.
800 Meters 9. Ava Trimble, 2:15.34; 10. Lexi Toronto, 2:15.65; 11. Caroline Moon, 2:16.76; 16. Taylor Palmer, 2:22.74.
1,500 Meters 12. Sally Roos, 4:38.77; 24. Jane Roos, 4:58.16; 27. Maddie Embley, 5:04.85.
400-Meter Hurdles 1. Claire Petersen, 1:01.93; 2. Gracynn Smith, 1:02.14; 3. Elly Jeppsen, 1:03.58; 5. Lola Smith, 1:04.7; 12. Ava Smith, 1:08.71.
3,000-Meter Steeplechase 3. Carli Nelson, 11:32.53; 7. Alayna Wardle, 12:02.79; 10. Charlotte Felt, 12:44.11.
4×100-Meter Relay 1. Utah State (Claire Petersen, Shay Jones, Nia Moore, Adia Ross), 45.87.
High Jump 15. Madeline Carmona, 1.45 meters (4-9); Gracynn Smith, NM.
Pole Vault 1. Karina Cooper, 4.05 meters (13-3.5); 2. Sabrina Fairbanks, 3.85 meters (12-7.5).
Shot Put 7. Ruby Jordan, 12.98 meters (42-7); 12. Milly Garren, 12.42 meters (40-9).
Discus 2. Milly Garren, 45.98 meters (150-10.25); 27. Reagan Trulson, 30.13 meters (98-10.25).
Hammer 5. Milly Garren, 51.79 meters (169-11); 7. Ruby Jordan, 51.15 meters (167-9.75); 30. Reagan Trulson, 38.22 meters (125-4.75).
Javelin 1. Valerie Clark, 48.05 meters (157-7.75); 4. Mary Bryan, 44.50 meters (145-12).

-USU-

Print Friendly Version