BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – University of Montevallo track and field opened up the 2022-23 season with a strong performance amongst a host of Div. I competition at the Birmingham Southern Icebreaker on Dec. 2.
 
On the men's track side, the day was highlighted by a sixth-place finish from Bill Archer in the Mile with a time of 4:29.81. Gaines Myrick was a bright spot for the Falcons' field events, posting a sixth-place finish in the weight throw with a distance of 15.77m.
 
The women's track team showed up and showed out with a top-five finish in the distance medley relay with a fifth-place time of 14:06.79. Skylar Suggitt proved to be strong competition in the pole vault, clearing a 16^th-place mark of 3.40m.
 
After the first meet of the new season, the Falcons brought home 21 top-20 finishes with five top-10 placements with the women's distance medley team bringing home the top finish of the day at fifth.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

• J'Brelin Cook paced the Falcons with a 28th-place finish in the 60-meter dash semifinals with a time of 7.22. Caleb Kariuki placed just behind Cook, in 29th, after running a 7.31.
• Brayden Marlowe just missed the cut for the finals in the 60-meter hurdles but finished 12th in the prelims with a time of 8.69.
• Bill Archer posted a sixth-place finish in the men's one-mile run with a time of 4:29.81.
• Gaines Myrick led UM in the weight throw with a mark of 15.77 meters for a sixth-place finish. Matthew Bradbury backed up Myrick with an eighth-place mark of 15.11 meters.
• In the long jump, Alex Malone placed 12th with a mark of 6.47 meters to lead UM. Micah Flores posted a mark of 5.70 to place 34th.
• Flores led the Falcons in the pole vault, placing 11th with a mark of 3.85 meters.
• In the triple jump, Gabe Gamble and Esclavon Prewitt finished 12th and 13th with respective marks of 12.67 meters and 1264 meters.
• Audriana Blakely finished 10th among non-division I schools and 44th overall in the 60-meter hurdle prelims with a time of 10.31 to lead the Falcons in the event.
• In the women's 3,000-meter run, Ana Watters and Reagan Oliver finished 13th and 14th with respective times of 11:26.79 and 11:32.35 in the finals.
• Shelby Sellers led Montevallo in the women's weight throw and finished 21st with a distance of 12.18 meters. Tristan Wallingsford placed just behind Sellers in 23rd after a distance of 12.04 meters.

 
UP NEXT: The Falcons will head back to the Birmingham Crossplex on January, 15^th in the Emory Crossplex Showdown.