The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas Invitational
No. 13/15 Track & Field closes Texas Invitational with wins, top marks in rainy finale
05.01.2026 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Longhorns deliver event titles and all-time performances on final day at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
AUSTIN, Texas – No. 13/15 Texas Track & Field closed out the Texas Invitational with multiple event victories and standout performances Friday at Mike A. Myers Stadium, competing through rainy conditions in Austin.
Texas was led by Kody Blackwood and Michael Pinones with two of the top performances of the day. Blackwood posted a personal-best 45.24 in the men's 400 meters to finish second as the top collegiate finisher. His mark ranks No. 4 on the Texas all-time performers list and is the 15th-fastest time in program history.
Pinones also delivered a top performance, recording a personal-best throw of 19.79m (64-11.25) to win the men's shot put and move into ninth on the Texas all-time performers list. Shaiquan Dunn placed second at 18.28m (59-11.75).
Giavonna Meeks turned in one of the top field performances of the day in the women's hammer throw, placing third with a mark of 65.14m (213-08), the sixth-best performance in program history. Meeks also recorded a throw of 64.15m (210-05), ranking 13th all-time at Texas, and now holds the top 13 throws in program history. She added a victory in the shot put at 15.04m (49-04.25).
Kendrick Smallwood won the men's 110-meter hurdles in 13.34, marking the 10th-fastest performance in program history. Smallwood now owns the top 13 times in Texas history in the event. Tabea Eitel added a win in the women's 100-meter hurdles (14.11), followed by teammate Iana Ahetz-Etcheber in second (14.54).
In the field events, Texas swept both triple jump titles as Jeanne Le Goff won the women's event with a mark of 13.06m (42-10.25), while Kelsey Daniel captured the men's title at 16.23m (53-03.00). Brock Lewis added a victory in the men's javelin with a personal-best throw of 51.07m (167-06).
Back on the track, Texas dominated the women's 400 meters with a 1-2 finish as Bayleigh Minor (51.22 PB) and Elise Cooper (51.24 PB) led the field. The Longhorns accounted for six of the top seven finishers, including Amelliah Birdow (53.14), Ramiah Elliott (53.20), Anouk Krause-Jentsch (53.23) and Mackenzie Collins (53.26 PB).
Jayden Jones led a 1-2-3 finish in the men's 100 meters in 10.53, followed by Xavier Butler (10.54) and Gabriel Remy (10.61). On the women's side, the Longhorns claimed five of the top six spots, paced by Carleta Bernard's runner-up finish in 11.34 as the top collegiate finisher, alongside Abigail Wolfe (11.42), Naomi London (11.45), Holly Okuku (11.58) and Rejoice Sule (11.62).
In the middle-distance events, Isabel Conde de Frankenberg led a 1-2-3 finish in the women's 800 meters, winning in 2:08.02. Grace Kowalski (2:08.52) and Mia Perez (2:08.91) followed, while Gia Kurp (2:11.56) and Aishling Callanan (2:16.79) added top-seven finishes.
On the men's side, Hudson Bennett placed third in the 800 meters with a personal-best 1:55.91 as the top collegiate finisher, followed by Zain Hamdani (1:56.42) and Joaquin De La Cruz (1:56.63).
Additional highlights included Jonathan Hertwig-Odegaard placing third in the men's 110-meter hurdles (14.72) and eighth in the 100 meters (11.30), while Iana Ahetz-Etcheber added a personal-best 10.14m (33-03.25) to place third in the women's shot put.
Texas will next compete at the SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, set for May 14-16 in Auburn, Alabama, at Hutsell-Rosen Track.
Players Mentioned
