ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Eastern New Mexico track and field team completed their first day at the MLK Collegiate Indoor Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M.

The Greyhound men and woman impressed on the first day of action as multiple Hounds qualified for the final heats of their events while going head to head against come tough Division I competition.

Three Greyhound women placed 15^th or higher out of 19 runners in the 3000-meter run. Mercy Rotich took third place crossing the line at 10:19.14. Rotich beat out runners from Division I schools like Pepperdine and UC Irvine. Aminata Kenyawani took 10^th with a time of 11:01.02, while Evaline Cheptoo came in at 13^th finishing at 11:10.92.

On the men's side, Ivar Moinat took fifth place out of 11 finalists in the 600-meter finishing with a time of 1:20.34.  Andrew Villegas finished sixth in the 400-meter dash with a time of 51.24, a new best for the sophomore sprinter. Junior Jessie Madrid finished 10^th in the 3000-meter run crossing the line 8:54.76. The New Mexico native previously ran 9:01.16 last weekend at the Corky Classic. 

Senior Bryanna Williams and freshman Tamia Smith both qualified for the finales in the weight throw. Williams placed 26^th  with a final throw of 13.00m (40-08.00). Smith followed placing 27^th with a throw of 12.27 (40-03.25).  Sophomore Jessica Campbell placed ninth in the finals with high jump height of 1.60m (5.03.00). Campbell placed higher than athletes from CSU Bakersfield and UC Irvine.

The Greyhounds will rest up for the second day of MLK Collegiate Indoor Invitational where the Hounds will see action in multiple events including the shot-put, 4 x 400 relay, and 60-meter hurdlers.