FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Arizona Track & Field began the 2024-25 indoor season on Friday with the Friday Night Axe 'Em Open hosted by Northern Arizona at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome.

The Wildcats started the season strong, finishing the competition with three school records, seven event wins, 13 top-three finishes, and numerous personal bests. Jade Brown (60m), Zach Extine (60m Hurdles), and McKenna Watson (300m) added their names to the Arizona record books as all three broke program records at the season opener.
 
TOP-THREE FINISHES
Jade Brown – First, Women's 60m (School Record)
Zach Extine – First, Men's 60m Hurdles (School Record)
Tapenisa Havea – First, Women's Shot Put
Tyler Michelini – First, Men's Shot Put
Paris Mikinski – First, Women's High Jump
McKenna Watson – First, Women's 300m (School Record)
Trayvion White-Austin – First, Men's 60m
Isaac Davis – Second, Men's 600m
Emma Gates – Second, Women's High Jump
Tapenisa Havea – Second, Women's Weight Throw
Youssef Koudssi – Third, Men's Shot Put
Zach Landa – Third, Men's Weight Throw
Lauryn Love – Third, Women's Shot Put
 
FIELD HIGHLIGHTS
The Wildcats took first and second in the women's high jump, with Paris Mikinski winning the event and Emma Gates finishing runner-up. Mikinski cleared a big personal best height of 6-0.75 (1.85m) to start the season off strong and win the event. Gates cleared a height of 5-9.75 (1.77m) to finish second.
 
Tyler Michelini won the men's shot put competition with a big personal best throw of 62-10.75 (19.17m). Youssef Koudssi finished third overall with a mark of 62-1.25 (18.93m) as the Wildcats totaled two podium finishes in the event. Michael Ogbeiwi, Sam Hala'ufia, Richard Legarra, and Zach Landa placed seven through 10 in the event.
 
Tapenisa Havea won the women's shot put with an indoor personal best mark of 53-7.5 (16.34m) as the Wildcats won the event on both the men's and women's sides. Lauryn Love finished third overall with an indoor personal best throw of 50-4 (15.34m).
 
The Wildcats kicked off their indoor season with a pair of personal best top-three finishes in the weight throw competitions. In the women's weight throw, Tapenisa Havea finished runner-up with a personal best toss of 57-0.25 (17.38m). Lauryn Love placed fifth in the event as well. In the men's weight throw, Zach Landa placed third overall with a personal best mark of 69-2 (21.08m). 

Michael Ogbeiwi placed fifth overall with a personal best throw of 62-0.25 (18.90m) and Tyler Michelini finished sixth with a mark of 59-3 (18.06m). Youssef Koudssi also placed eighth in the event.
 
In the women's pole vault, freshman Kelly de Jong placed fourth overall, Olivia Dillon finished sixth, and Ena McMahon ended in seventh. On the men's side, freshman Sylvan Osman also placed fourth overall with a clearance of 16-4.75 (5.00m).
 
In the men's high jump, freshmen Kaleb Kimaita and Sylvan Osman placed seventh and eighth, respectively.
 
TRACK HIGHLIGHTS
Senior Zach Extine started the season fast in the men's 60m hurdles. In the prelims, Extine clocked a personal best time of 7.82, right around the school record, and advanced to the finals with the fastest time on the day. In the finals, Extine lowered his time to 7.74, officially breaking the Arizona school record and winning the 60m hurdles competition. Extine broke Jeff Hunter's time of 7.77 from 2006.
 
Four Wildcats advanced to the finals in the women's 60m. Jade Brown clocked the fastest time in the prelims of 7.38, Jenica Bosko had the second fastest time of 7.49, Hollan Powers had the fourth fastest time of 7.50, and McKenna Watson had the fifth fastest time of 7.50 (PR). Zana Ryan and Dakota Minor both posted personal best times in the prelims as well. In the finals, Jade Brown clocked a school record time of 7.23 to win the event. Brown lowered her personal best to break Brianna Glenn's time of 7.25 from 2002. Hollan Powers also lowered her time to 7.46 to place fifth overall.
 
McKenna Watson broke the Arizona school record in the women's 300m with a time of 38.03. Watson won the event and broke Maureen Bookstrom's previous record of 39.69 from 1987. Ava Simms finished fourth overall in the event with a time of 39.29, which also would've broken the previous program record. Camila Aguilar-Perez, Brooke Nordman, and Presley Money placed fifth, sixth, and eighth, respectively. In the men's 300m, Brian Limage placed eighth.
 
Both Trayvion White-Austin and Tyson Tippett advanced to the finals in the men's 60m. White-Austin clocked the second fastest time in the prelims of 6.72 and Tippett finished seventh with a time of 6.79. Brian Limage finished 10th overall as well for the Wildcats. In the event's finals, White-Austin came away with the win, posting a near-personal best time of 6.65. Tippett finished in fifth with a time of 6.76.
 
Isaac Davis finished runner-up in the men's 600m, running a personal best time of 1:18.17 in the event. Christian Simmons finished seventh overall with a personal best time of 1:20.62 and Evan Simmons placed eighth with a time of 1:21.56. In the women's 600m, Keilee Hall finished fifth overall with a time of 1:34.63.
 
Brooke Nordman placed seventh in the prelims of the women's 60m hurdles to advance to the finals in the event. In the event's finals,  Nordman ran a time of 8.71 and finished fourth overall.
 
UP NEXT
The Wildcats' indoor season is now in full swing, with their next competition coming on January 17-18 in Lubbock, Texas, for The Corky Classic hosted by Texas Tech.
 
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