PORTALES, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico men's and women's track and field hit the road for the 2024 Willie Williams Classic. Before the Greyhounds compete in Tucson, please take a look at the 4x4 Preview:

1.) Strong Outdoor Start: The Greyhounds spent last weekend at the 2024 West Texas A&M Spring Break Open. The Friday activities included a full evening of discus. ENMU saw several student-athletes compete in the singular event on a cooler spring day in Canyon. The women's squad included  Kennedy Ulmer (40.14m), Samantha Medina (37.08m), Jha'Niah Johnson (33.20m), and Allysun Jones (30.59m). Representing the men was Hemon Joseph (35.55m) and Kooper Ellis (33.18m) who did well among the tough field including several all-LSC performers. Eastern New Mexico was strong in the javelin as well in the meet as Hemon Joseph (53.54m), Jude Murray (44.01m), Devin Gallegos (41.59m), and Jamoi Jackson (39.16m) threw for the Hounds. The women saw strong tosses from a first place finisher, Deziree Bosquez (38.48m), and Kennedy Ulmer (37.69m), who took third.

2.) Friday Slate: Eastern New Mexico University will begin competing Friday with seven different events taking place with Greyhounds. The meet begins at 1 p.m. with Kooper Ellis and Noe Ybaben-Burciaga throwing in the hammer. The women in the hammer include Jha'Niah Johnson and Tamia Smith. The javelin throwers go next with Devin Gallegos, Hemon Joseph, and Alex Williams in the event. Several Hounds are racing in the 200m dash including Ambrosia Francis, Helena Carboo-Klutsey, Riley Midgett, Meghan Rodriguez, Grizell Scarlett, Timothy Frederick, and Rosean Young. The shot put will see Tamia Smith and Kennedy Ulmer compete. Celina Thomas will be in the long jump, Kooper Ellis in the discus, and Ethan Woodrome in the 1500.

3.) Saturday on Deck: The meet concludes Saturday with nine different events featuring ENMU student-athletes. The pole vault begins early at 10 a.m. with Luis Holguin followed by his teammate Minerva Cerda Hernandez. ENMU will compete in both a 4x100 and 4x400 on the women's side. In the 400 for Eastern New Mexico is Cerda Hernandez, Helena Carboo-Klutsey, Mariana Marquez, Meghan Rodriguez, Savannah Romero, Tre Buchanan, and Holguin. Running in the 100 is Ambrosia Francis, Riley Midgett, Malia Sanchez, Grizell Scarlett, Timothy Frederick, Jude Murray, Malachi Torres, and Rosean Young. Bryce Owens is the only Eastern New Mexico representative in the 800 this weekend. The shot put will feature Hemon Joseph and Noe Ybaben Burciaga. The discus will see Jha'Niah Johnson, Samantha Medina, and Kennedy Ulmer competing. Lastly, the jumps squad will be represented in the high jump by Aeriana Langley and triple jump by Celina Thomas.

4.) Past History: In 2023, Eastern New Mexico also competed in the Willie Williams Classic. The program saw a school record broken by Alex Williams in the javelin as he tossed a 65.12m (213' 7") result. The throw eventually locked him into a spot to compete at the 2023 NCAA DII outdoor track and field championships in Colorado. The second year Hound will be at the Willie Williams Classic for a second-straight season. Another strong result for ENMU during the meet came from Timothy Frederick who ran the 200m in 21.64s. His result helped him finish eleventh out of 47 competitors.