GOLDEN, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo men's and women's track and field teams opened its 2023-24 indoor season here Friday evening at the Mines Alumni Classic as the ThunderWolves recorded total of three NCAA provisional qualifying marks in both the men's and women's shot put held at Steinhauer Fieldhouse on the Colorado School of Mines campus.
 
In Friday's opening night of the two-day season opening indoor event, the Pack competed in the men's and women's long jump and the men's and women's shot put.
 
On the men's side, graduate student Justin Jenks (Helena, Mont./Helena Capital) got off to a strong start to the season as he recorded an NCAA Provisional mark in the shot put as he finished third overall with a mark of 18.04 meters (59-2.25"). In addition to Jenks, sophomore Xavier Freeman (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo East) was fourth overall with a mark of 16.28 meters (53-5). A third Pack thrower, sophomore Felipe Castro Engel (Santiago, Chile/Mount Mercy) was eighth with a mark of 14.02 meters (46-0).
 
Two other competitors for the Pack in the shot put were junior Lukas Moran (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo West) and sophomore Maverik Mertens (New Raymer, Colo./Prairie Junior-Senior High) as they were 11th and 17th overall with marks of 13.65 meters (44-9.50") and 10.76 meters (35-3.25").
 
In the long jump, sophomore Keith McInnis (Denver, Colo./Denver North) was ninth with a leap of 7.07 meters (23-2.50").
 
Meanwhile, on the women's side, the lone NCAA Provisional marks came in the shot put as junior All-American Katherine Higgins (Mead, Colo./Ponderosa) and sophomore Febe Wessels (Pretoria, South Africa) finished third and fourth in the event with provisional marks of 15.41 meters (50-6.75") and 15.17 meters (49-9.25") respectively.
 
In the long jump, the women had three competitors as the top finisher for the Pack was junior Mikayla Jones (Aurora, Colo./Vista Peak Prep) as she recorded a leap of 5.23 meters (17-2) to finish 20th. Freshman Danaya Kinnard (Colorado Springs, Colo./Mesa Ridge) was 23rd with a mark of 5.09 meters (16-8.50") in her first collegiate meet and sophomore Mary Scoggins (Rangely, Colo./Rangely) was 25th with a leap of 4.96 meters (16-3.25").
 
The two-day event concludes on Saturday as the day begins with the women's weight throw beginning at 9:30 a.m. and the preliminary round of the women's 60 meter hurdles starting the track events at 1 p.m.