Distance Runners Highlight Weekend at Ichabod Invitational
February 14, 2026
OPSU Women's Results | OPSU Men's Results
TOPEKA, Kan. Select members of the Oklahoma Panhandle State men's and women's track & field teams competed Friday and Saturday at Washburn University for the Ichabod Invitational, where the squads made progress and a trio of distance runners shined with personal bests and a pair of school records.
Men's Performances: Joshua Samaron highlighted the men's performances with personal records in both the mile and 3,000-meters, the latter of which reset his own school record from just two weeks ago. The senior clocked a 4:40.35 and 9:21.15 in the two events.
Christian Soto and Dillon Bruington both placed well within the top half of 79 sprinters in the 60-meters, coming away with solid times of 7.14 and 7.16 seconds, respectively.
Jason Granillo led the team's efforts in the 200-meters with his 22.30-second finish, good for 18th of 43 competitors.
Alan Martinez and David Okorie both snuck in under 51.0 seconds in the 400-meters individually, and the duo along with Granillo and Soto competed in the 4x400-meter relay, taking sixth out of 21 teams with a time of 3:21.24.
Women's Performances: Carolina Valenzuela smashed her PR in the 3,000-meters to lower her school-record time in the event to 11:15.21. Shania Chavez also came away with a personal best in the race, clocking an 11:36.95.
Brittney Carrasco and Avery Brown bounced back from their shot-put performances Friday to compete in the weight throw Saturday, when they were neck-and-neck with strong marks of 11.99 and 11.97 meters, respectively.
"They threw really well today. Avery tied her PR twice, and then Brittany was really close to tying her PR, so I thought they had a really good series of throws," head coach Cyrus Hall said.
Breyanna Kemp was closer to her form in the 400-meters, notching a time of 1:00.86.
Kemp also led the Aggies in the 200-meters at 26.55 seconds, while Paizlie Reyna-Mata trended up by clocking a 26.98.
Ashlynn Perez paced OPSU in the 60-meters, recording a time of 8.19 seconds.
Coach Cyrus Hall's Thoughts: In addition to being highly complimentary of his trio of distance runners competing, Hall noted that his team's execution remains strong despite not quite seeing the marks and times the athletes are expecting of themselves.
"I think we're trending in the right direction, we're just not where the kids want to be yet, but I know it's coming."
What's up next: The majority of the men's and women's track & field team members continue the indoor season on Feb. 21 at South Plains College.
TOPEKA, Kan. Select members of the Oklahoma Panhandle State men's and women's track & field teams competed Friday and Saturday at Washburn University for the Ichabod Invitational, where the squads made progress and a trio of distance runners shined with personal bests and a pair of school records.
Men's Performances: Joshua Samaron highlighted the men's performances with personal records in both the mile and 3,000-meters, the latter of which reset his own school record from just two weeks ago. The senior clocked a 4:40.35 and 9:21.15 in the two events.
Christian Soto and Dillon Bruington both placed well within the top half of 79 sprinters in the 60-meters, coming away with solid times of 7.14 and 7.16 seconds, respectively.
Jason Granillo led the team's efforts in the 200-meters with his 22.30-second finish, good for 18th of 43 competitors.
Alan Martinez and David Okorie both snuck in under 51.0 seconds in the 400-meters individually, and the duo along with Granillo and Soto competed in the 4x400-meter relay, taking sixth out of 21 teams with a time of 3:21.24.
Women's Performances: Carolina Valenzuela smashed her PR in the 3,000-meters to lower her school-record time in the event to 11:15.21. Shania Chavez also came away with a personal best in the race, clocking an 11:36.95.
Brittney Carrasco and Avery Brown bounced back from their shot-put performances Friday to compete in the weight throw Saturday, when they were neck-and-neck with strong marks of 11.99 and 11.97 meters, respectively.
"They threw really well today. Avery tied her PR twice, and then Brittany was really close to tying her PR, so I thought they had a really good series of throws," head coach Cyrus Hall said.
Breyanna Kemp was closer to her form in the 400-meters, notching a time of 1:00.86.
Kemp also led the Aggies in the 200-meters at 26.55 seconds, while Paizlie Reyna-Mata trended up by clocking a 26.98.
Ashlynn Perez paced OPSU in the 60-meters, recording a time of 8.19 seconds.
Coach Cyrus Hall's Thoughts: In addition to being highly complimentary of his trio of distance runners competing, Hall noted that his team's execution remains strong despite not quite seeing the marks and times the athletes are expecting of themselves.
"I think we're trending in the right direction, we're just not where the kids want to be yet, but I know it's coming."
What's up next: The majority of the men's and women's track & field team members continue the indoor season on Feb. 21 at South Plains College.
