(Flagstaff, AZ) The Park University Gilbert Track and Field Team opened the 2025 season with a trip to Northern Arizona University, where the Buccaneers competed in the Friday Night Axe ‘Em Open at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff, Ariz.
A total of 10 Park-Gilbert athletes competed in multiple events against a variety of Division I and Division II programs on Friday night.
The day began with the Women’s 60 meter dash, where junior Johanna Jessop clocked in at 8.67 seconds.
In the Men’s 60 meter dash, senior Dylan Hukill finished with a time of 7.02 seconds. Griffith Houchin crossed the finish line shortly after with a time of 7.16 seconds, followed by Brian Spark who clocked in at 7.20 seconds.
Houchin was the first Buccaneer to finish the Men’s 200 meter dash with a time of 23.20 seconds, followed by Spark who ran the event in 23.69 seconds.
Three Buccaneers competed in the Women’s 300 meter dash: Nardia Padilla finished in 44.50 seconds, Mallory Turner clocked in at 46.06 seconds, and Madison Turnerfinished at 47.70 seconds. Padilla, Mallory, and Madison placed 26th, 27th, and 28th, respectively.
The Women’s 600 meter dash saw both Park-Gilbert runners finish in the top-15. Graduate Maryan Sharif placed 10th with a time of 1:46.66, and Madison Turner placed 13th with a time of 1:52.35.
Perhaps the strongest showing for the Bucs was in the Women’s and Men’s 3000 meter dash, where Maryan Sharif and Davin Soto both placed in the top-5. Sharif clocked in at 12:31.85, and Soto finished with a time of 9:44.58.
Mallory Turner was the only Park-Gilbert athlete to compete in the Women’s 60 meter hurdles and the Women’s high jump events. She ran the hurdle event in 9.64 seconds placing 21st, and recorded 1.47 meters for the high jump.
In the finals of the Men’s high jump, senior Owen Olney placed in the top-2 with a height of 2.00 meters. Otisa Agbo of Grand Canyon University, won the event with the same height.
The final event of the night that Park-Gilbert competed in was the Women’s long jump. Jessop led the way for the Bucs placing 13th with a distance of 5.04 meters, and Padilla finished in 26th place with a distance of 4.70 meters.
The Buccaneers Track and Field team returns to action next Friday, Jan. 17, when they compete in the Lumberjack Team Challenge at Northern Arizona University.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Garrett Campbell
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