(Cedar City, Utah - May 1, 2025) - Utah Tech track & field won four events at the Southern Utah-hosted SUU Coliseum Championships at Eccles Coliseum on Thursday evening. The Trailblazers totaled 35 top-eight finishes at their final regular-season meet. 

UT started the meet by placing second and fourth in the 4x100-meter relay with times of 46.30 and 48.27, respectively. Freshman Adaorah Okafor, senior Rashawnna Gibson and sophomores Kooper Dennison and Jesse Fowler finished second, while senior Sadie Edwards, senior Ashlynn Gilhula, freshman Lily Sampson and junior Brittany Kuhn took fourth.

Junior Ashlyn Parish logged a second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles, clocking in at 13.64. Kuhn followed in fourth at 13.95 and senior Emma Lloyd came in eighth at 14.80.

Utah Tech's first event win came in the mile courtesy of senior Lexi Larsen, who logged a time of 4:59.40. Redshirt sophomore Makayla Pitcher finished third at 5:07.53, and sophomore Averie Perriton took sixth at 5:12.61.

In the 100 meters, six Trailblazers placed in the top eight, with Okafor winning the event with a time of 11.95. Gilhula tied for third at 12.20, Dennison finished fifth at 12.22, Fowler tied for sixth at 12.29 and junior Mary Clark and Parish tied for eighth at 12.37.

Junior Whitany Christiansen was victorious in the 400 meters with a time of 55.74. Sampson took third at 57.80, followed by Edwards in fifth at 59.27 and junior Kelly Denninghoff in sixth at 59.71.

With a time of 2:18.95, junior Savannah Eatough placed sixth in the 800 meters.

In the 400-meter hurdles, junior Megan Jenkins picked up the Trailblazers' fourth event win with a first-place time of 1:01.43. Freshman Ilenia Dehart finished second, clocking a time of 1:02.52. Following was Kuhn in fifth at 1:05.00, junior Madelynne Crawford in seventh at 1:05.93 and freshman Savannah Johnson in eighth at 1:08.61.

Okafor secured another second-place finish with a time of 24.75 in the 200 meters. Christansen came in third at 24.85, followed by Dennison in fourth at 24.97 and Gilhula in eighth at 25.84.

In the 3,000 meters, freshman Isabela Coffman placed sixth with a time of 10:50.91, and sophomore Charly Murie came in eighth with a time of 11:06.80.

Utah Tech wrapped up action on the track with two more top-eight finishes in the 4x400-meter relay. Christiansen, Jenkins, DeHart and Edwards finished second with a time of 3:49.60, while Crawford, Eatough and Kuhn placed fourth with a time of 4:09.43.

In the field, junior Lainee Leavitt placed second in the high jump with a mark of 1.66 meters (5-5.25). Senior Kylie Bishop tied for fourth with a mark of 1.61 meters (5-3.5).

Sophomore Mackenzie Bradach set a personal best in the long jump to finish sixth with a mark of 5.42 meters (17-11.0).

Top Eight Finishes

• 4x100-Meter Relay
  • 2. Utah Tech A (Adaorah Okafor, Rashawnna Gibson, Kooper Dennison, Jesse Fowler), 46.30
  • 4. Utah Tech B (Sadie Edwards, Ashlynn Gilhula, Lily Sampson, Brittany Kuhn), 48.27
• 100-Meter Hurdles
  • 2. Ashlyn Parish, 13.64
  • 4. Brittany Kuhn, 13.95
  • 8. Emma Lloyd, 14.80
• Mile
  • 1. Lexi Larsen, 4:59.40
  • 3. Makayla Pitcher, 5:07.53
  • 6. Averie Perriton, 5:12.61
• 100 Meters
  • 1. Adaorah Okafor, 11.95
  • T-3. Ashlynn Gilhula, 12.20
  • 5. Kooper Dennison, 12.22
  • T-6. Jesse Fowler, 12.29
  • T-8. Mary Clark, 12.37
  • T-8. Ashlyn Parish, 12.37
• 400 Meters
  • 1. Whitney Christiansen, 55.74
  • 3. Lily Sampson, 57.80
  • 5. Sadie Edwards, 59.27
  • 6. Kelly Denninghoff, 59.71
• 800 Meters
  • 6. Savannah Eatough, 2:18.95
• 400-Meter Hurdles
  • 1. Megan Jenkins, 1:01.43
  • 2. Ilenia DeHart, 1:02.52
  • 5. Brittany Kuhn, 1:05.00
  • 7. Madelynne Crawford, 1:05.93
  • 8. Savannah Johnson, 1:08.61
• 200 Meters
  • 2. Adaorah Okafor, 24.75
  • 3. Whitney Christiansen, 24.85
  • 4. Kooper Dennison, 24.97
  • 8. Ashlynn Gilhula, 25.84
• 3,000 Meters
  • 6. Isabela Coffman, 10:50.91
  • 8. Charly Murie, 11:06.80
• 4x400-Meter Relay
  • 2. Utah Tech A (Whitney Christiansen, Megan Jenkins, Ilenia DeHart, Sadie Edwards), 3:49.60
  • 4. Utah Tech B (Madelynne Crawford, Savannah Eatough, Brittany Kuhn, etc.), 4:09.43
• High Jump
  • 2. Lainee Leavitt, 1.66 meters (5-5.25)
  • T-4. Kylie Bishop, 1.61 meters (5-3.5)
• Long Jump
  • 6. Mackenzie Bradach, 5.42 meters (17-11.0)

Up Next
Utah Tech will begin the postseason at the 2025 WAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Thursday through Saturday, May 15-17, in Arlington, Texas. UT Arlington is serving as the host institution.