UAB Green and Gold Invitational Results

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Lamar men's and women's track and field teams wrapped up their weekend on Saturday at the UAB Green and Gold Invite hosted at the Birmingham CrossPlex Arena in their efforts to simulate the Southland Conference Championships.

"I thought we were able to get people to experience what it's like to compete in back-to-back days," said head coach Trey Clark. "We performed well on a 24-hour recovery period, and I am very pleased with that accomplishment."

Both Verity Ockenden and Evelyn Chavez were able to claim first place finishes on Saturday, Ockenden in the 800-meter run with a 2:12.41 time and Chavez on a 5:01.11 mark in the mile run.

"Evelyn is doing a great job, especially for being a freshman," said Clark. "She moved into third on the Southland Conference lists, which gives us the first three times heading to the homestretch of the indoor season."

Chavez moved in behind Jannika John, whose time of 4:46.75 from the Texas A&M 13-Team Invitational holds first, and Minttu Hukka who marked at 4:53.28 for second place at the Vulcan Invite on Friday.

Ockenden, who won the 3000-meter event on Friday, was joined in the top 10 of the 800m race by Alexandra Sokolova in third place on a time of 2:12.76. Sokolova set a personal record on Friday in the 800m (2:11.86).

Jared Benford had a busy day competing in the long jump and a leg of the 4x400-meter relay.

"Jared had a big day in the long jump after a great day (Friday)," said Clark. "He definitely had positive performances which resulted a big weekend. He has a lot of confidence from it."

Benford finished in second place in the long jump, first time in the event this season, on a 22'-8.0'' distance, and then turned around and helped the 4x4 team grab third place with a 3:35.20 time. His jump is good enough for seventh on the SLC long jump list and 4x4 moved up to ninth.

The women's 4x4 team also moved up on the league's list on Saturday, to seventh, when it took third place with a 3:57.93 time.

Erin Brown competed in the women's triple jump for the first time this season and claimed fifth with a distance of 37'-2.25''.

Several athletes from the men's team competed in an event for the first time this season, including Stuart Ferguson in the 800-meter run. He finished second on a 1:55.03 time, which put him sixth on the Southland Conference list this season.

Tye Norman was ninth in the mile on a 4:37.62 mark and Andres Espinosa was fourth in the 3000-meter with a 9:16.76 time.

Aaron Bennett finished a successful weekend claiming his two best 800m runs of the season, Saturday's was a mark of 1:56.42 after Friday's time of 1:54.38.

Blake Johnson took sixth place in the 60-meter hurdles on Saturday on an 8.82 mark.

The women finished Saturday's competition in ninth place overall, seventh among Division I program, and the men were 12th overall.

Both teams will be back in action on Jan. 30 to take part in two, two-day events. The split squad weekend will have some athletes at the Houston Invitational while others will be at the UW Invitational held in Seattle, Wash.