Unleash Your Passion: Grand Canyon University Athletics Celebrates the Thriving Outdoor Sports Season

Tucson, Ariz. — The outdoor track and field season for Grand Canyon University (GCU) kicked off with a bang at the Willie Williams Classic this past weekend. Coach Tom Flood expressed excitement, saying, "It was nice to finally have the whole team together and officially start our outdoor season."

One of the standout performances came from senior Lucy George, who made headlines by breaking the school’s javelin record with a throw of 46.05 meters. This surpassed the previous record of 45.15 meters set by Sophia Saldutto in 2024. Coach Flood celebrated this achievement, noting, "We started off right away with a bang on Friday with Lucy’s school record in the javelin."

Graduate Daviciea McCartney and junior Miguel Rosario III also had impressive outings. McCartney dominated the 400-meter hurdles, finishing in 50.69 seconds, and recorded 14.03 seconds in the 110 hurdles. Meanwhile, Rosario excelled in both the 200 and 100 meters, clocking 20.85 seconds in the 200 and 10.39 seconds in the 100, achieving the best times among collegiate competitors.

Other athletes showed promising talent as well. Taliyah Booker ran the 400 meters in 53.79 seconds, while Germain Lemaître won the 800 meters with a time of 1:49.79, just shy of his own school record. Michaela Lewis completed the 800 in 2:11.50, and Jazmine Scott finished second in the triple jump with a leap of 12.42 meters. The men’s 4×100 relay team, consisting of Jacob Holguin, Rosario, JoJo Harding, and Conner Kittleson, turned in a solid performance, finishing in 39.76 seconds, less than half a second off last year’s record.

As preparations turn toward the upcoming prestigious Texas Relays, starting Wednesday, Coach Flood shared his enthusiasm: "Can’t wait to get back at it and get even better next week."

What makes this season particularly interesting is the rising trend of elite performances across the nation. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), track and field participation has seen an increase of 2.2% nationwide from 2022 to 2023. This growing enthusiasm might translate into even tougher competition for GCU as they move forward.

With the outdoor season gaining momentum, keep an eye on how the athletes’ progress unfolds. The combination of hard work and talent can lead to exciting outcomes!

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