GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — MSU Denver Indoor Track & Field split its squad over the weekend, competing against elite national fields at the Grand Valley State Invite in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Friday and Saturday, while another group delivered strong performances Saturday at the UCCS Mountain Lion Open in Colorado Springs.
Across both meets, the Roadrunners posted event wins, podium finishes and a school record performance.
Kenny Greene highlighted the weekend with a dominant victory in the men's 200 meters at the GVSU Invite, winning a massive field of 77 competitors with a time of 21.74. Competing against one of the deepest sprint fields of the indoor season, Greene's performance stood out as one of the most impressive of the meet.
Greene also posted a strong showing in the men's 400 meters on Friday, clocking 47.96 to finish fourth overall, proving his range across sprint distances against high-level competition.
At the Mountain Lion Open, Brandon Simpson etched his name in the record book once again. Simpson broke his own MSU Denver school record in the men's weight throw with a mark of 14.85 meters, finishing ninth in a competitive field of 19. He added a 10th-place finish in the shot put (13.91m) to cap a standout day in the throws.
The Roadrunners' distance group produced multiple top finishes at Grand Valley.
Jordan Duran placed third in the men's 5000 meters with a time of 14:35.54, while Jonathan Duran followed closely in fifth (14:41.13). Darren Hayden added a 12th-place finish in the same event before returning Saturday to take third in the men's mile (4:14.69) out of a loaded 97-athlete field. Jonathan Duran also finished 13th in the mile.
On the women's side, Constance O'Neal delivered two high-level performances against large fields. She placed third in the 5000 meters (17:19.98) on Friday, then returned Saturday to take fifth in the 3000 meters (10:10.70) out of 75 competitors, solidifying her status among the meet's top distance runners.
Kai Luna turned in one of the top field performances of the weekend at GVSU, finishing third in the men's long jump with a leap of 6.62 meters in a 50-athlete field.
Back in Colorado Springs, Joseph Barlow also claimed third in the men's long jump (7.12m), while Andrea Davis cleared 1.62 meters to place fourth in the women's high jump.
The Mountain Lion Open also saw several Roadrunners reach finals and podium spots in the sprints.
Odone Omofoma ran 7.71 in the women's 60 meters to place fifth in a 30-runner field before finishing seventh in the final. She later added a third-place finish in the 200 meters (26.23), where Arianna Toaipa finished runner-up (26.04).
On the men's side, De'Aundrae Harris (22.78) and Jacob Simpson (22.92) placed second and third in the 200 meters, while Owen Clarke captured the men's 400-meter title in 50.38.
Sean Pecenka advanced to the final of the men's 60-meter hurdles, placing fifth after running 8.38 in the final.
MSU Denver earned runner-up finishes in both distance medley relays at UCCS. The women's quartet of Tanis Chavez, Arianna Toaipa, Peyton Meier and Avanti Wadhwa clocked 12:58.79, while the men's team of Eisen Dacus, Jacob Simpson, Elijah Garcia and Parker Davidson ran 10:38.72.
Ellie Shaw added a fifth-place finish in the women's mile (5:22.53), and Peyton Meier placed sixth in the 800 meters (2:27.41).
From a school-record throw to a dominant sprint victory in one of the nation's deepest 200-meter fields, the Roadrunners showcased both depth and high-end talent across two competitive meets. With championship season approaching, MSU Denver continues to build momentum across sprints, distance and field events alike.
