The UTEP track and field team heads to Charlotte, N.C., for the 2019 Air Force Reserve Outdoor Track and Field Championships on May 9-12 at the Irwin Belk Track and Field Center.
The women’s team goes into the competition as favorites, after claiming the 2018 Conference USA cross country title and 2019 Conference USA indoor title.
Kicking off the meet will be Rebecca Oshinbanjo with the heptathlon on Thursday scheduled to start at 12:45 p.m. MT. The senior closed out the indoor season with a seventh-place finish in the pentathlon at the C-USA Championships. During the outdoor season, Oshinbanjo has shown continuous improvements clocking in a season-best time of 13.90 (W: 3.3), which rates fourth in C-USA.
Friday’s action will begin with the women’s hammer throw set for 12 p.m. Representing the Miners in the hammer are underclassmen Cierra Chenault, Samantha Cordier and Kayla Larry.
The men’s hammer will follow at approximately 2:30 p.m. Leading the throwers is Karol Koncos, who ranks first in C-USA in the event. The junior also rates 33rd in the nation with a personal-best mark of 65.59m posted at Texas Relays.
Koncos will also take the field in the discus throw on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. alongside teammate Benjamin Coronado.
On the track, Winny Koech is the top seed in the women’s 10,000m with a time of 33:35.68 posted at MT. SAC Relays. The junior also ranks 27th in the country in the event. Koech will take the track on Friday at 6 p.m. in the 10,000m and Sunday in the 5,000m at 4:05 p.m.
Wrapping up Friday’s action is the men’s 10,000m (7 p.m.), which will feature Rodgers Korir, Antony Kosgei, Boaz Ronoh and Cornelius Kapel. Korir leads the group, ranking fourth in the league with a time of 30:10.60 notched at MT. SAC Relays.
The women’s 1,500m prelims will kick off the running events on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Lilian Koech is the top seed in the event with a time of 4:16.44 recorded at the Bryan Clay Invitational. The senior’s time also earned her the no. 2 spot in the UTEP record book.
Teammate Carolyne Chepkosgei will also compete in the 1,500m and heads into the meet as a no. 3 seed. The sophomore also posted a stellar showing at the Bryan Clay Invitational, clocking in a personal-best time of 4:23.52. Both Miners will take the track again at 3:30 p.m. in the women’s 800m.
UTEP will be well represented in the hurdles with Maribel Caicedo, Oshinbanjo and Kimisha Chambers in the women’s 100m hurdles prelims at 2 p.m. Caicedo ranks third in C-USA with a collegiate-best time of 13.55 recorded at the Desert Heat Classic.
Chambers will also compete in the 400m hurdles prelims on Saturday (4 p.m.) as the leagues top seed. The transfer was named the C-USA Athlete of the Week, after posting a stellar showing at the Desert Heat Classic of 57.82 in the 400m hurdles.
The junior currently ranks 14th in the country in the event. Joining her on the track in the 400m hurdles will be teammates Dreshanae Rolle and Carshaylah Harrison. Rolle heads into the competition as the no. 2 seed.
On the men’s side, Shakeem Smith will take the track in the 110m hurdles prelims at 2:15 p.m. and in the 400m hurdles at 4:10 p.m. The junior ranks fourth and fifth in the 110m hurdles (14.14) and 400m hurdles (52.91), respectively.
Also highlighting the men’s team is sprinter Sean Bailey. The junior holds the top seedtime in the 400m. Bailey earned C-USA Track Male Athlete of the Week honors after storming out of the blocks at the Desert Heat Classic notching a season-best time of 45.54.
The sprinter currently ranks seventh nationally in the event. Bailey will also run in the 200m prelims at 4:40 p.m.
On Sunday, the women’s shot put (Chenault, Cordier and Larry) and men’s triple jump (Darius King) will open the last day of action at 11 a.m
The women’s javelin will follow at 12:30 p.m. and will feature freshman Roosa Yloenen and Kaylah Shepherd. Yloenen is the conference top seed in the event with a collegiate-best throw of 50.44m registered at the Texas A&M Invitational. The Miner rates 28th in the country in the javelin throw.
Also taking the field on Sunday is freshman standout Chantoba Bright. The jumper will compete in the triple jump at 1:30 p.m. and the long jump on Saturday at approximately 1:30 p.m.
Bright ranks second in the long jump (6.30m) and third in the triple jump (13.01m) in C-USA. The freshman also rates 29th in the country in the long jump.
Highlighting the men’s throwers is freshman Iason Machairas. The thrower will take the field on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in the shot put. Machairas is the conference top seed with a collegiate-best toss of 18.45m posted at Bryan Clay Invitational.
For streaming, tickets, live results, full schedule and updates, please visit the championship central page
