OLLU celebrates achievements of Track and Field teams

OLLU recognized the achievements of the men’s and women’s track and field teams from the 2022-2023 season during the virtual 11th Annual Big Blue Athletics Banquet.

The season was highlighted by the men’s 4x100m relay team finishing in fifth place at the NAIA National Championships and earning NAIA All-American honors. The four team members include Richard Davis, Troy Stinson, Cerrone Thompson and Julian Verastegui. Twelve members of the men’s team made it to the NAIA National Championships in Indiana. 

In addition, the women’s 4x100m relay team also qualified for nationals. They include Alondra Toledo, Kiana Kebbi, Autumn Roberts and Larrisa McHenry. Qualifying for the NAIA Indoor Championships earlier in the spring were Jose Zarate for the 5000m, Tr’Darius Taylor for the 60m and Ian Lee Heung for the Triple Jump.

The season also featured the men winning the Red River Athletic Conference championships and the women finishing in second. Jose Zarate was the men’s high point track athlete of the year.

OLLU men’s 4×400 relay earns All-America honors

The OLLU men’s 4x400m relay team made it to the finals of the 2023 NAIA Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships and finished in fifth place overall. This marks the first time in program history that members of the OLLU track and field team have finished as finalists. All four members of the team – all freshmen, including Richard Davis, Julian Verastegui, Troy Stinson and Cerrone Thompson – have earned NAIA All-American honors – the first ever at OLLU.

They placed 11th out of 21 teams in the preliminary run with a time of 3:17.58, which qualified them for the finals on May 26. Their time in the finals was 3:12.55 for a fifth-place finish overall.

Head Coach Patrick Torres commented, “We had some good things happen and some lessons learned. The jewel of the meet for us was definitely the men’s 4x400m finishing All-American with four freshmen. I’m so excited that these young men are at the foundation of what we are building.”