LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Little Rock delivered a dominant performance at the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championship, recording multiple podium finishes, school records, and conference records. Freshman
Jeremiah Patton led the Trojans, earning OVC Male Athlete of the Championship and Male Freshman of the Year honors. The Trojan men finished second overall with 134.5 points, while the women placed fourth with 76 points.
Patton had a historic showing, breaking the OVC indoor record in the 200 meters with a time of 20.58 to win the event. He also claimed the 60-meter title, crossing the line in 6.68 to secure his second individual championship of the meet.
"Winning these OVC awards means everything to me," said Patton. "It's a blessing to see all of my hard work and the coaches' hard work pay off. To win the 60 meters and then come back and win the 200 while breaking the conference record was an unreal experience. I trusted my training, stayed focused, and gave everything I had. I'm proud of what I accomplished."
Junior
Matthew Tyeskie joined Patton in rewriting the record books, breaking the OVC indoor record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.83. His performance surpassed his own school record while setting the new conference standard.
"First and foremost, all praise goes to the Most High for giving me the opportunity to compete," said Tyeskie. "After enduring an Achilles tear, I never questioned whether I would return. I'm thankful for our athletic trainers, my surgeon, my coaches, teammates, friends, and family. It means everything to represent this team and contribute to our success. No matter what race life puts in front of you, keep running and never stop."
Sophomore
Dedrick Richardson Jr. also delivered a record-breaking performance, winning the triple jump with a leap of 15.50 meters to break the Little Rock school record by more than half a meter.
"This school record is a testament to the work we put in week in and week out," said Richardson Jr. "Even though the indoor season is short, our jump group gives everything we have, and it shows in the results. I'm excited for outdoor season and ready to keep improving."
Freshman
Colter Maya added another strong performance, finishing first in the 400 meters with a time of 47.10, just .04 seconds shy of the school record.
In the field events, senior
Deshawn Roberts claimed first place in the high jump, clearing a personal-best 2.11 meters. Junior
Devin Stevens also secured gold in the 800 meters, finishing in 1:51.46 after a tightly contested race.
Little Rock continued its dominance in the heptathlon, as sophomore Marcellous Harris captured the title, extending the Trojans' streak of heptathlon championships over conference opponents.
On the women's side, freshman
Jordan Morgan and sophomore
Raine Jenkins delivered a strong 1-2 finish in the triple jump. Morgan won the event with a jump of 12.06 meters, while Jenkins followed closely with a mark of 12.03 meters.
The women's 4x400-meter relay team also reached the podium, finishing third in 3:51.16. The relay team consisted of senior
Takia Palmer and freshmen
Evelyn Goedge,
Brianna Brinkley, and
Sabrinah Booker.
Freshman
Brian Nwugbana earned a runner-up finish in the triple jump with a mark of 14.82 meters, while sophomore
Braeden Bell claimed second place in the 60 meters, finishing in 6.75.
Head coach
J.P. Behnke praised the team's effort and competitiveness throughout the championship.
"I'm proud of the way this team pushed themselves over the last two days," said Behnke. "We had to fight for every point, and our athletes competed with great determination. The men had eight first-place finishes but lacked the depth needed to secure the team title. On the women's side, this was a valuable learning experience. Nearly half of our championship roster was made up of freshmen, and they gained important experience competing at this level."
Full results can be viewed
here.
The Trojans will look to rest for a bit before the outdoor season starts in March. They will travel down to Baton Rouge on March 21 for the LSU Open their first outdoor meet.
For the latest information on Little Rock Cross Country/Track and Field, check out LRTrojans.com. You can also follow the team on social media at @LittleRockTFXC on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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