HOUSTON, Texas – The Lamar University track and field teams walked away 11 Top 10 finishes that spanned across 14 events Saturday in the program's 2017 outdoor opener at the 35^th annual Victor Lopez Classic hosted by Rice at the Wendel D. Ley Track.
 
Brian O'Bonna and Deja Phillips had big days and led the jump squad, both with top five finishes. Phillips notched an outdoor personal best with a long jump of 19 feet, ¼ inch. She and teammate Kelsey Smith both jumped in the event, Smith finished with a 17 feet, 8 ½ inch jump. 
 
O'Bonna was the top collegiate finisher and second overall in the triple jump when he hit at 48 feet, 9 ½ inches, and Southland Conference indoor runner-up Tylen Guidry jumped at 46 feet, 7 inches for fifth place. Javon McCray reached to 46 feet, 3 ¾ inches.
 
In the men's long jump, Adam Richard matched his indoor best at the Lopez Classic, a jump of 22 feet, 5 inches that was good for 10^th place. Cameron Dickey and O'Bonna finished back-to-back in the event at 18^th and 19^th, respectively. Dickey's mark was 21 feet, 6 ¼ inches and O'Bonna's 21 feet, 5 ½ inches.
 
Thai Williams was ninth in the women's triple jump and hit her 39 feet, 3 inch mark, only a few spots ahead of Phillips' 38 feet, 1 inch jump.
 
Nathan Gillis – who ran in the "A" section of the men's 800 - led a group of three that churned out good performances. Gillis took seventh on a 1:52.22 race and was followed closely by TaMar Hick's near-personal best 1:52.54. Freddie Gasbarri did notch a personal best in the event and finished 14^th with a 1:53.04 time.
 
Three ladies ran in the "A" section of the 1500 meters, two were top 10 finishers in the event and the other notched her PR. Jannika John led the way in fifth place on a 4:29.86 time, followed by Evelyn Chavez's 4:31.80 – which was less than a second from her best. Alexandra Sokolova reached her best 4:41.43 time that was good for 15^th.
 
Chanissey Fowler, Phillips, Stanton and Erin Derrow all combined as the A team for the women's 4x1 squad, and put up a 46.73 time. That time is a hair short of making the school's all-time list. Derrow had a nice individual day with an 11^th place finish in the 100 (12.28) and 13^th place finish in the 200 (25.32).
 
Trashauna Hardy led a big group of finishers from the Cardinals in the women's 200 meters, and four of them notched personal bests. Hardy took a ninth place finish with a 25.24 time. Na'Imah Muhammad had her best time in the event that spanned from the indoor season, it was 25.93. Meagan Menifee followed closely with a 26.05 time, her PR. Nia Davis (26.13) and Taeylor Roquemore (26.57) both ran their bests too.
 
A couple of freshmen had a nice day in the men's 400-meter dash, both notched better times in the event than during the indoor season. Christian Joseph crossed the finish line at 50.25 and Ben Morales soon after at 51.82.
 
Mason Mathews was 10^th in the men's 400-meter hurdles. The freshman popped a 1:02.53 mark.
 
Next up for Lamar is a split squad weekend. Some Cardinals will head in to the Texas Relays for a meet that starts on Wednesday and goes until April 1. Other members of the program will head out to California to compete in the Stanford Invitational.