Day 1 Results

NEW YORK CITY -- On a day that saw a slew of superb performances by the Houston Baptist University track and field teams, Maximo Mendoza defended his title in the men's 5000-meters and Jonathan Staples dominated the long jump on the first day of the Great West Conference indoor championships at the historic 168th Street Armory.

"I am so pleased and proud with the efforts of every member of this team today," said head coach Theresa Fuqua. "We performed so much better than was predicted, and so many of our kids had season and lifetime bests when it counted."

After the first day of competition, HBU's men are second in the team standings behind defending champion South Dakota, while the Huskies are fifth in the women's standings, just seven points out of third place.

Mendoza ran a masterful race in the 5K, sitting comfortably in the middle of the lead pack until there were less than 800 meters to go. With pre-meet GWC leader Josh LeBlanc of North Dakota right on his heels, Mendoza made a strong move with three laps to go and held on to repeat as champion in 15:03.18.

It only took one attempt for Staples to seal his first indoor gold, matching the title he won outdoors in South Dakota last season. The senior from Baytown unleashed a lifetime-best 7.29-meters/23-11 jump on his first time down the runway, and added a 7.26m/23-10 on his final attempt.

The day's other medal-winning effort for the men came in the distance medley relay, where Anthony Aguinaga, Donovan Brittian, Ulysses Montoya and Matt Perri teamed up to clock 10:18.65 and claim silver. Perri's 4:15.4 anchor mile leg was the key, as he reeled in South Dakota's final leg and nearly caught Texas-Pan American's Omar Doria.

The Huskies nabbed a pair of medals in women's events, topped by senior Zakia Tillis' silver in the 20-pound weight throw with a season-best 15.60m/51-2.25. Morgan Pressley won a silver medal in the long jump with her leap of 5.52m/18-1.5, just before earning a spot in the 400  final.

Surprise points came from multi-talented Tramisha McGrew in the high jump, where she tied for fourth, and the distance medley relay team of Halcie Pfeiffer, Kenisa Haynes, Hiba Kreidie and Jessica Whitt took sixth in 12:47.58.

In other men's finals, Jarrett Gilliam was fourth and Jake Adkins was seventh in the 35-pound weight throw.

HBU qualified 21 athletes for Monday's finals, including hurdlers Amber Goodson and Gabe O'Neale, who were the fastest qualifiers in the 60H, both with lifetime bests. Goodson, who will be joined in the final by fellow freshman Kourtney Lofton, zipped to an 8.79, while O'Neale skimmed the 42-inch sticks in 8.33.

Three HBU men advanced to the finals in the 60 and 200, with Jocques Robinson, Junior Malave and Brandon Boyd all turning in season bests in both events.

Zelda Abadom picked an opportune time to lower her lifetime best in the 400 by more than two seconds, clocking 57.82 to make the final along with Pressley and freshman Sharonda Bryant.

McGrew set lifetime bests in the 60 and 200 to advance to the final, where she will be joined by Joslyn Cooper, who ripped to season bests in both events.

Middle distance finals will see Perri and Aguinaga in the men's mile, and Pfeiffer in the women's mile. Montoya had a season best to move on in the men's 800, as did Whitt in the women's 800.

Monday's final day of competition begins at 10 am Eastern, and the live webcast can be viewed at Milesplit.com.