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Thursday, March 27
Houston, Texas
Rice University
vs
Victor Lopez Classic
Owls Shine at 42nd Victor Lopez Classic
3/29/2025 11:28:00 PM | Women's Track & Field
HOUSTON – The Rice women's track and field team had a stellar showing at the 42nd annual Victor Lopez Classic this weekend at the Wendel D. Ley Track. The Owls captured six event titles and saw numerous top finishes across the meet.
The distance runners shined Friday night, with Daphne Mayer claiming Rice's first event title in the 5000m.
Katlyn Schmeltzer added a second-place finish in the 3000m steeplechase, entering the Rice all-time top 10 with a finishing time of 10:49.17.
Saturday's competition opened with Morgan Fey taking third in the discus, and later claiming the event title in the shot put.
Elena Siemens and Alice Taylor grabbed a pair of event crowns over in the pole vault and the high jump. Mckyla Van der Westhuizen took the last title from the field in the javelin with a throw of 60.29m.
Over on the track, Julia Johannesdottir won the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.74s to move into sixth all-time at Rice.
Saniya Friendly and Riana Green added a pair of runner-up finishes in the 100m and the 400m.
Post Meet Reaction - Head Coach Jim Bevan
"It's always great to be a part of the 42nd Victor Lopez Classic. It's a great atmosphere, it's a great start for the full team, it's great to have a home meet. Obviously, Mckyla's performance was spectacular. Ninth in the world, third in the country and potentially a factor in getting her to the World Championships. It's hard to put in perspective how tremendous the performance was. She had numerous fellow students from Rice supporting her and that was awesome. It shows how wonderful it is to have a home meet. Additionally, we had some breakthroughs, Alice Taylor is back on track in the high jump. Julia Johannesdottir ran a personal best in the sprint hurdles. Morgan Fey's shot put is picking up where she left off in indoors. Elena Siemens won her vault in her last year at the Victor Lopez meet. Saniya is finally healthy for outdoor track and got started with a good effort. Riana is also off to a good start. Our two freshman distance runners, Daphne Mayer and Niamh Collins, ran big personal bests and finished first and second and are becoming consistent performers. We look forward to the month of April and our trip to the Tom Tellez track."
RESULTS (Top finishers)
100m
2. Saniya Friendly – 11.84
10. Lucella Kennybrew – 12.49
100m Hurdles
1. Julia Johannesdottir – 13.74 (No. 6 Rice All-Time)
7. Alexis Tarlue – 15.07
10. Alice Taylor – 15.51
200m
9. Lucella Kennybrew – 25.56
400m
2. Riana Green – 55.10
400m Hurdles
3. Eva Vreeland – 1:03.98
800m
3. Niamh Collins – 2:11.00
5. Cullen Merrell – 2:13.43
6. Cici Calhoun – 2:14.41
9. Brooklyn Crow – 2:19.58
1500m
3. Niamh Collins – 4:30.40
6. Heidi Nielson – 4:34.04
4x100
2. Zamzow, Green, Tarlue, Friendly – 46.08
Discus
3. Morgan Fey – 45.41m (148-11)
Long Jump
6. Alexis Tarlue – 5.54m (18-02.25)
8. Lindsay Simms – 5.28m (17-04.00)
Shot Put
1. Morgan Fey – 14.45m (47-05.00)
Pole Vault
1. Elena Siemens – 3.74m (12-03.25)
7. Lauren Schmitt – 3.38m (11-01.00)
High Jump
1. Alice Taylor – 1.80m (5-10.75)
Javelin
1. Mckyla Van der Westhuizen – 60.29m (197-09)
2. Elena Schwegman – 42.70m (140-01)
6. Addison Zamzow – 38.75m (127-01)
9. Julia Johannesdottir – 37.56m (123-02)
FRIDAY'S RESULTS
3000m Steeplechase
2. Katlyn Schmeltzer – 10:49.17 (No. 9 Rice All-Time)
5000m
1. Daphne Mayer – 16:47.96
UP NEXT
Rice heads to the University of Houston next weekend for the Tom Tellez Invite.
The distance runners shined Friday night, with Daphne Mayer claiming Rice's first event title in the 5000m.
Katlyn Schmeltzer added a second-place finish in the 3000m steeplechase, entering the Rice all-time top 10 with a finishing time of 10:49.17.
Saturday's competition opened with Morgan Fey taking third in the discus, and later claiming the event title in the shot put.
Elena Siemens and Alice Taylor grabbed a pair of event crowns over in the pole vault and the high jump. Mckyla Van der Westhuizen took the last title from the field in the javelin with a throw of 60.29m.
Over on the track, Julia Johannesdottir won the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.74s to move into sixth all-time at Rice.
Saniya Friendly and Riana Green added a pair of runner-up finishes in the 100m and the 400m.
"It's always great to be a part of the 42nd Victor Lopez Classic. It's a great atmosphere, it's a great start for the full team, it's great to have a home meet. Obviously, Mckyla's performance was spectacular. Ninth in the world, third in the country and potentially a factor in getting her to the World Championships. It's hard to put in perspective how tremendous the performance was. She had numerous fellow students from Rice supporting her and that was awesome. It shows how wonderful it is to have a home meet. Additionally, we had some breakthroughs, Alice Taylor is back on track in the high jump. Julia Johannesdottir ran a personal best in the sprint hurdles. Morgan Fey's shot put is picking up where she left off in indoors. Elena Siemens won her vault in her last year at the Victor Lopez meet. Saniya is finally healthy for outdoor track and got started with a good effort. Riana is also off to a good start. Our two freshman distance runners, Daphne Mayer and Niamh Collins, ran big personal bests and finished first and second and are becoming consistent performers. We look forward to the month of April and our trip to the Tom Tellez track."
100m
2. Saniya Friendly – 11.84
10. Lucella Kennybrew – 12.49
100m Hurdles
1. Julia Johannesdottir – 13.74 (No. 6 Rice All-Time)
7. Alexis Tarlue – 15.07
10. Alice Taylor – 15.51
200m
9. Lucella Kennybrew – 25.56
400m
2. Riana Green – 55.10
400m Hurdles
3. Eva Vreeland – 1:03.98
800m
3. Niamh Collins – 2:11.00
5. Cullen Merrell – 2:13.43
6. Cici Calhoun – 2:14.41
9. Brooklyn Crow – 2:19.58
1500m
3. Niamh Collins – 4:30.40
6. Heidi Nielson – 4:34.04
4x100
2. Zamzow, Green, Tarlue, Friendly – 46.08
Discus
3. Morgan Fey – 45.41m (148-11)
Long Jump
6. Alexis Tarlue – 5.54m (18-02.25)
8. Lindsay Simms – 5.28m (17-04.00)
Shot Put
1. Morgan Fey – 14.45m (47-05.00)
Pole Vault
1. Elena Siemens – 3.74m (12-03.25)
7. Lauren Schmitt – 3.38m (11-01.00)
High Jump
1. Alice Taylor – 1.80m (5-10.75)
Javelin
1. Mckyla Van der Westhuizen – 60.29m (197-09)
2. Elena Schwegman – 42.70m (140-01)
6. Addison Zamzow – 38.75m (127-01)
9. Julia Johannesdottir – 37.56m (123-02)
FRIDAY'S RESULTS
3000m Steeplechase
2. Katlyn Schmeltzer – 10:49.17 (No. 9 Rice All-Time)
5000m
1. Daphne Mayer – 16:47.96
Rice heads to the University of Houston next weekend for the Tom Tellez Invite.
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Pole Vault
/ Women's Track & Field
Javelin
/ Women's Track & Field
Pole Vault
/ Women's Track & Field
Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints/Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps/Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
Javelin
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles
/ Women's Track & Field
Multis
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