RIVERSIDE, Calif. - UC Riverside opened the 2024 outdoor season in style on Friday at the Riverside City Invitational, picking up numerous Big West qualifiers in a variety of events.  

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• Karyssa Owens needed just one attempt in the hammer throw to notch a Big West qualifying mark. Owens turned in a 53.47m, roughly 10cm off her lifetime best.  
• Monea Jennings picked up a conference qualifer in the 100mH with a heat-winning 14.23, also claiming the overall win.  
• UCR women started hot in the 100m with a school-record 11.60 from Raykiyat Olukoju and a lifetime best and Big West-qualifying 11.88 from Olivia McIntosh-Adams. Jessica Boyd also picked up a conference qualifying match with a 12.08, and D'Lainey Nakamoto posted a lifetime best and heat win in 12.15.  
• Jason Sherman opened on the men's side of the 100m with a 10.69, right at his PR and good for a Big West qualifier.  
• Isatu N'Diaye shined in her collegiate debut of the 800m, winning both her heat and the event with a 2:15.09.  
• Owen Pennington and Chelsea Aninyei collected Big West qualifiers with a 6-07 high jump and an 11.98m triple jump, respectively.  

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS 

• UCR finished atop the 12-team field on the women's side with 137 points while the men placed fourth out of 14 with 82 points.  
• Olukoju broke her third record of 2024 and the women's outdoor 100m mark for the second time in her career.  

COACHES' CORNER 

• "We're very pleased with our outdoor opener and the number of Big West qualifying marks that we secured," said Nate Browne, Director of Cross Country and Track & Field. "We wanted to use our fitness and sharpness from MPSF and roll right into this meet. Some of our training groups have a nice block to put in work before our meet later this month at UCLA, while the distance and jump groups will be competing again next week." 

UP NEXT 

• UC Riverside returns to competition next Friday and Saturday at the Ben Brown Invite as hosted by Cal State Fullerton.