Trojan Men, Women Finish as Runners-Up at OVC Indoor Championships

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Little Rock's men's and women's track and field teams posted school record point totals while the men recorded a program-best finish as action wrapped up at the 2023 Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships on Thursday.
 
The Trojan men scored a program-best 160 points as they finished as runners-up to Eastern Illinois. Little Rock's women, whose 103.5 points scored is the most since the 1997 Sun Belt Indoor Championships, finished as runners-up to Southeast Missouri.
 
Matthew Fox was named the Co-Male Athlete of the Championship after the Canadian sophomore claimed the gold medal in the heptathlon.
 
The honor highlighted the successful championship meet for the Trojans as Little Rock brought home a combined 17 medals, including seven golds.
 
Gabby Ayiteyfio highlighted the Little Rock women's action after she scored 28 points across two individual events and the pentathlon. In the pentathlon, Ayiteyfio's 3,510 points ranks as the second-best mark in school history while she tied a school record in the 60m dash, running 7.55. Landri Schreier followed in the 60m as her time of 7.57 earned her silver and is recorded as the third-best time in school history.
 
It was a clean sweep of the 60m dash on the men's side as Cameron Jackson claimed his reign over the OVC as the Fastest Man in the Ohio Valley Conference. Jackson's time of 6.69, which matches his own personal best mark and is tied for second in school history, led a quartet of Trojans. Taveion Neal earned silver after running 6.71, Troy McKnight clocked 6.72 to earn bronze and Cogan DeRousselle finished fourth with a time of 6.84. McKnight ran 21.24 in the 200m to claim silver while DeRousselle would also finish as the runner-up in the 60m hurdles.
 
On the women's side, Janae Largins claimed gold in the shot put as her throw of 45-10 (13.97m) ranks second in school history while Aaliyah Mathis followed in second. Mathis moved into fourth in school history in the event with her throw of 44-1.25 (13.44m)
 
While the men's 60m was the only sweep of the finals day, the Trojans recorded several 1-2 finishes. Andrew Payton's 4:05.73 in the mile ranks second in school history while Nicholas Newby clocked 4:06.49 in the mile to finish second. The duo make their biggest mark in the mile with Payton leading the charge with a time of 4:05.73. Newby followed in second, running 4:06.49. Those mile marks rank second and third, respectively, in school history.
 
For the latest information on Little Rock Track & Field, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockTFXC on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
 
Get the latest Trojan news – including the weekly Trojan Report – delivered to you direct to your inbox by signing up for Little Rock Trojan E-News here.
 
#LittleRocksTeam