SPOKANE, Wash. – Day one of the 2023 WAC Indoor Track & Field Championships has come and gone, and the NM State Track & Field team recorded some impressive feats while also setting themselves up for a big day on Saturday. Valissa Brown captured the gold medal in the long jump to give the Aggies their first points on the day, while Emily Stutesman and Maggie Gibbs earned seven combined points in the 5000m run to give NM State 17 total points, good for seventh place. The Crimson & White participated in four of the six scored events on day one, with 11 finals remaining on Saturday, Feb. 25^th to determine the 2023 WAC Champion.

Valissa Brown secured the Aggies first points of the Championship weekend, recording a final mark of 5.93m (19-5.5") in the long jump to take first place in the event. This marked a personal best for the junior, and the third best all-time result in NM State history.

Thobile Amon took first place in her heat and second overall in the mile run with a time of 5:03.59 to qualify for tomorrows final, the only Aggie to qualify for the event. Later in the day, Amon and her sister Thulisile qualified for the 800m finals with times of 2:13.70 (second) and 2:13.44 (fifth) respectively.
The trio of Aliyah Logan (8.33, second), Valissa Brown (8.38, third) and T'Erica Boyd (8.55, seventh) recorded top marks in the 60m hurdle prelims, all three advancing to the finals. Boyd's time also ranks as a personal best for the freshman from Mirimar, Florida.

Jhana Downie paced the field in the 400m prelims, recording a time of 53.98 to earn a spot in Saturday's finals. Downie later did the same in the 200m dash, tallying a personal best time of 23.68 in the process. Sophomore Jahnya Hill also qualified for the finals in the 400m dash, recording a personal best time of 56.68 to take seventh. Breanna Moss's time of 57.59 presented a new personal best in the event.
 
2023 WAC Indoor Track & Field Championships – Day One
1. Stephen F. Austin - 45
2. Utah Valley - 42
3. Abilene Christian - 26
4. UT Arlington - 24
5. Sam Houston - 23
6. Grand Canyon - 21
7. NM State - 17
9. UTRGV - 14
10. Southern Utah - 12
11. Tarleton - 5
12. Seattle U - 5
 
Schedule of Events (All Times MT)
 
Saturday
Weight throw – Noon
Triple Jump – 1:00 p.m.
 Mile run – 3:30 p.m.
60m hurdles – 3:55 p.m.
400m run – 4:40 p.m.
800m run – 5:00 p.m.
200m dash – 5:20 p.m.
3000m run – 5:40 p.m.
4x400m relay – 6:50 p.m.
Awards ceremony – 7:15 p.m.
 
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