MOSCOW, Idaho & FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - UC Riverside track and field opened its 2024 season on Friday at the Northern Arizona Lumberjack Team Challenge in Arizona and Lauren McCluskey Memorial in Idaho. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• UC Riverside competed in nine events each on the women's and men's side in Flagstaff, additionally competing in the mile and 3,000 run on both sides in Idaho with the women adding in the 4x1000 DMR. 
• Tyler Kaan, Ashraf Abdelmagid and Sean Caster all turned in top-10 finishes in the mile at the Lauren McCluskey. Kaan improved on his own No. 7 spot in UCR history while Abdelmagid jumped to eighth. On the women's side, UCR took four of the top six spots and three of the top four in heat one. 
• Melisa Toilolo took fourth in the shot put at the Lumberjack and debuted at No. 5 on the all-time list. Toilolo advanced into the finals of the weight throw alongside Karyssa Owens, while Monea Jennings and Melanie Ceballos entered the finals in the long jump. 
• Saniyah Starks opened her campaign with the second fastest indoor 400m run of her career, finishing second with a 55.99. 
• Raykiyat Olukoju was the first of three Highlanders to finish in the top seven of the 200m, taking second with a 24.14 that ranks 31st in all of Division I. 
• Calvin Black's first attempt at the triple jump was a lifetime-best 15.16m that bumped him up to second on UCR's all-time list. Black turned in a 15.41m in the finals, currently the 23rd best mark in Division I. 
• Noah Murasmith won heat one of the men's 3000m with Joshua Mendoza and Sean Caster filling out the top five for UCR. Andrew Castellon finished in 8:41 in his men's 3000m debut while Norma Alvarez and Isatu N'Diaye made their women's indoor 3000m debuts with Alvarez claiming fifth. 

COACHES' CORNER

• "We were able to come away with a few PRs today with Tyler and Ashref in the mile, Noah in the 3k and a couple of other indoor bests on the day as well. The main mission today though was to get an indoor opener under our belts and we accomplished that with solid performances all around. It's a good feeling to go home knowing we did what we set out to do and get ready to go back to work for the next one." - Zach Newsom
• "It was a great start to the season here in Flagstaff. We had two school records and 14 all time top 10s. We also had some great openers by indoor first timers. Outside of Ray and Andrew's records, Calvin Black's big triple jump was especially promising. Our staff is so pleased with this first meet and we know there is more to come." - Nate Browne

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

• UCR wasted no time setting new records on day one of the 2024 season, beginning with Olukoju shattering the 60m indoor record in Flagstaff with a time of 7.56 in the prelims. The record was short-lived for Olukoju, who one-upped herself in the finals with a new mark of 7.51. 
• Olivia McIntosh-Adams (7.70), Jessika Boyd (7.71) and D'Lainey Nakamoto (7.76) all raced alongside Olukoju in the 60m and entered UCR's top 10 in the process. Jason Sherman (7.01) and Andrew Garcia (7.07) each set lifetime bests on the men's side of the 60m. 
• Andrew Jackson was the second Highlander to set a new record on Friday evening, clocking in at 1:18.00 in the 600m. 
• Aaron Fruge and Elijah Yoshinaga posted all-time top-10 long jumps in their Highlander debuts. 

UP NEXT

• UC Riverside returns to action on February 2 back at Northern Arizona for the annual Ron Mann Classic.