During what was the hottest weekend of the year thus far, the Wildcats competed at home in the Wes Kittley Invitational.

The start of the outdoor season was marked by temperatures reaching well into the 90s at Elmer Gray Stadium. Nathan Ott, assistant coach and throwing specialist, said he felt like the team handled the conditions well.

“There’s only certain things you can control, and the weather is not one of them,” Ott said. “But you can control how you respond to it, and you can control your preparation.”

The Wildcats started the outdoor season well, winning five events across different disciplines.

To start the weekend, ACU won the 4×100-meter relay with a time of 45.47, beating Western Texas College by 0.04 seconds. The team was made up almost entirely of freshmen Lauren Foxworth, Kee’Lani Whitlock and Morgan Morris, along with junior Chianel Asoburuenwu, who anchored the run.

In the long-distance races, the Wildcats continued to show great pace. Chloe McLellan, senior from Waco, won the women’s 1,500-meter race with a time of 4:42.02. Likewise, in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, Mark Barajas, sophomore from El Paso, led the field by nearly 30 seconds, finishing with a time of 9:37.64.

The Wildcats didn’t stop there, continuing their charge in the field events. Nele Huth, sophomore from Frankfurt am Main, Germany, won the women’s high jump with a 1.65-meter jump. Likewise, Donovan Ramirez, a junior from Odessa, placed first in the men’s triple jump.

“I think it was a good jumping-off point for most of the program,” Ott said. “I think we had kind of a mixed bag for some of the team coming out of indoor, but I would say most people are more excited or more ready for the outdoor season.”

On top of this, multiple athletes set personal bests over the weekend. Sterling Glenn, junior from Rio Rancho, New Mexico, threw 51.92 meters in the women’s hammer throw, 10th all-time in ACU program history. Additionally, Rhet Punt, junior from Tallinn, Estonia, competed in the men’s hammer throw, hitting a personal best of 62.27 meters. Punt’s throw now sits fourth in program history as well.

With this competition in the books, the Wildcats have another quick turnaround before their next meet in San Angelo. The David Noble Relays, hosted by Angelo State, will take place Thursday through Saturday. This quick week-to-week schedule will be the norm for the team as it prepares for meets leading up to the WAC Championships in May.