Azusa, Calif. – Adams State competed in three meets across California over the week, including the three-day Bryan Clay Invitational hosted by Azusa Pacific, the ULV Leopard Invite hosted by the University of La Verne, and the Long Beach Invitational hosted by Long Beach State.
Only two Grizzlies competed at the ULV Leopard Invitational, as Megan Garret and Clara Keddy represented the team in both the 1,500 meters and the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Garret won the fast section of the 1,500 with a time of 4:35.95, while Keddy placed ninth in 4:46.90.
In the steeplechase, Garret earned third place and posted an NCAA Division II provisional qualifying mark with a time of 10:57.19. Keddy finished 20th in 11:27.06.
The Bryan Clay Invitational was a standout meet for the Grizzlies, with 18 NCAA Division II provisional marks set on the women's side — including a new national record.
In the women's 800-meter invitational, Lieke Hoogsteen placed third in a highly competitive heat, clocking 2:03.99 — just shy of the outdoor school record. Jessica Simon also competed in the invite section, finishing 38th in 2:07.68.
The 1,500-meter invitational featured five Grizzlies earning provisional marks. Ava O'Connor led the way with a ninth-place finish in 4:15.31. She was followed by Elena Carey (4:21.63), Hoogsteen (4:23.74), Maggie McCleskey (4:24.11), and Brianna Robles (4:25.21).
In the 1,500-meter open section, Fiona Hawkins placed third and earned a provisional mark with a time of 4:25.40. Also competing were Katie Hughes (4:31.90), Marie Garret (4:35.76), and Precious Robinson (4:37.41).
Robles returned in the 5,000-meter invitational (section 1), placing 15th with a provisional-qualifying time of 15:54.76. In section 4, Tristan Spence, McCleskey, and Emily Schoellkopf finished second, third, and fourth, respectively, with times of 15:58.75, 16:02.12, and 16:09.13. Robinson also posted a provisional mark, finishing 18th in 16:52.09.
In the 5,000-meter open, Hughes placed second in heat two with a time of 16:25.63. Hawkins followed with a 22nd-place finish in heat four, running 16:55.60. Both earned provisional marks.
In the 3,000-meter steeplechase open, Haley Harkrider ran 10:32.51 to secure a provisional time, while Garret clocked 11:05.63.
The steeplechase invitational added three more provisional performances. O'Connor placed seventh in 9:46.22, setting a new Irish U23 national record. Schoellkopf and Carey also hit provisional times, finishing in 10:27.46 and 10:45.41, respectively.
The women's 4x400-meter relay team secured an NCAA Division II provisional mark, as Isila Apkup, Victoria Amiadamen, Jessica Simon, and Alese Sartain combined to run 3:42.34.
The men's side of the track saw a strong showing from the Grizzlies, with 15 NCAA Division II provisional marks recorded.
In the elite section of the 800 meters, David Cardenas blazed to a 10th-place finish in 1:47.52. In the invite section, Louis O'Loughlin surged with a big final kick to take third in 1:47.71, while Oisin Lynch clocked 1:50.01. All three performances earned provisional marks.
O'Loughlin returned in the 1,500-meter Open A section, running 3:46.06 to place 10th. Dayton Brown followed in 21st at 3:47.15 — both earning provisional times. Aron Orar and Kidus Begashaw also ran well, finishing in 3:49.68 and 3:51.97, respectively. In the Open B section, Lynch posted a 3:57.02. In the invitational section, Cardenas and Harison Boyd finished in 3:49.00 and 4:00.89, respectively.
The Grizzlies continued their success in the 5,000 meters. In the open sections, Orar, Juan Rosales, and Max Aldrich each earned provisional marks, running 14:10.92, 13:49.40, and 13:59.34. In the invite sections, Awet Beraki took 12th in heat three with a time of 13:48.41. Brown placed second in heat two with a 13:32.24, while Begashaw finished 12th in 13:40.12. All performances were provisional qualifiers.
In the 10,000-meter invitational, Beraki was the lone Grizzly representative, running a provisional mark of 29:10.18 in heat one.
David Millan added another provisional mark in the 3,000-meter steeplechase open section, finishing in 9:40.76.
In the relays, the men's 4x100-meter squad — Ja'Warren Smith, Gavin Heyneman, Keirryse Simpson, and Christopher Rader — ran 40.96. The 4x400-meter relay team of Heyneman, Smith, Cardenas, and Rader also earned a provisional mark, finishing in 3:13.23.
In the field events, Sam Dirkes delivered two provisional marks, with a shot put of 17.24 meters and a discus throw of 51.24 meters.
The Grizzlies had a selective showing at the Long Beach Invite, competing in just six events but delivering strong performances.
Megan Garret led the way with her second race victory of the week in the women's 1,500-meter invitational, crossing the line in 4:33.69.
In the women's 400, Alese Sartain secured fourth place with a time of 54.57 seconds, while Isila Apkup ran 56.94 to finish 24th. Victoria Amiadamen also impressed in the 400 hurdles, placing sixth with a time of 1:00.32.
On the men's side, the 4x100 relay team — Chris Rader, Gavin Heyneman, Keirryse Simpson, and Ja'Warren Smith — earned fourth place with a time of 40.96 seconds.
Sam Dirkes represented the Grizzlies in the field events, placing 11th in the shot put with a mark of 17.06 meters and 30th in the discus with a throw of 48.62 meters.
With standout performances across three competitive meets, the Grizzlies continue to prove themselves as one of the top programs in Division II. From national records to a flurry of NCAA provisional marks, Adams State showcased its depth, talent, and championship mindset. The team now shifts its focus to the RMAC Championships in Golden, Colorado, where they'll compete over three days starting Friday.
