Track & Field Posts Strong Performances at Texas Relays

AUSTIN, Tx. – The University of Pittsburgh track and field team posted strong performances at the 96^th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in the second weekend of outdoor action.

Three Panthers, Ilse Steigenga, Lydia Bottelier, and Taylor Newton starred in the first heptathlon competition of the season. Steigenga recorded a new best and moved from fourth to second in the program standings with 5544 points. The Netherlands native won the long jump and placed fourth in the 200m race to propel her to a fifth-place overall finish in the heptathlon. Bottelier finished in seventh place with 5314 points, winning the 200m with a new benchmark of 24.21 and taking third in the shot put, also a new best, 12.32m. Newton recorded a personal best of 5075 points to bump her from ninth to eighth in the record books. The senior had fourth place finishes in both the shot put and the javelin throw and recorded new personal records in the 200-meter race and the shot put.

Aubrey Leneweaver set a new best in the 400m hurdles timed final, crossing the line in 1:02.37.

Sophomore Devin Nugent advanced from the preliminary round of the 400m hurdles to the final, where he would clock a new best of 50.88 to take fifth overall.

The men’s relay teams excelled at a meet known for relay competition. The 4×100 relay quartet of Nigel Hussey, Stephon Brown, Darren McQueen Jr., and Thomas McDonough combined for the third best time in program history of 40.19. Additionally, the 4×400 relay team of Malik Ricketts, Nigel Hussey, Thomas McDonough, and Stephon Brown ran a time of 3:10.58 in preliminary round action to advance to the finals. In the finals, Devin Nugent replaced McDonough and the foursome cut nearly two seconds off their time to take fourth place in 3:08.81.

Norrah Lemongo and Niya Crawford shined in their section of the shot put. Lemongo threw a new best mark of 15.14m in the second outdoor meet of her collegiate career to take second place. Crawford threw over 14 meters for the first time of her career, taking fourth place with a 14.55m launch.

Freshman Somiyah Braggs finished in tenth place of the 100m dash final with a pace of 11.63. On the men’s side, Darren McQueen Jr. (10.23), Stephon Brown (10.27), and Nigel Hussey (10.34) all ran personal best times in…