FRESNO, Calif. – The outdoor track and field season for Jessup University officially took flight on Saturday as the Warriors traveled south to compete in the Sunbird Invitational. Taking on a loaded field of competition hosted by Fresno Pacific University, the Warriors featured a strong mix of veterans and newcomers looking to set the tone for the 2026 spring campaign.

With the track action heating up early, several Jessup athletes delivered key performances against notable Division I and Division II programs.

The Jessup women brought a deep roster to the track, particularly shining in the distance and hurdle events. Leading the charge in the 100-meter hurdles was senior standout Erica Waseq, who entered the meet with a blazing performance of 15.26 finishing 8th. She was joined by fellow senior Jocelyn Pedretti (16.63) and a strong pack of Warriors including Karsyn Leikauf, Jaylee Hameister, and freshman Kayla Carpenter, showcasing the team's depth in the event.

In the sprints, freshman Kimora Hill-Brown made her presence felt in the 100-meter dash, representing the Warriors well in a highly competitive heat with a 13.67 finish. 

The distance crew also put in serious work. Freshman Angela Gladysh handled a grueling double, competing in both the 1500m and 3000m races. She entered the 3000m with an impressive PR of 10:23.61. Mary Stuart, Madison Sutton and Juliet David also ran in the 1500m. 

Fellow freshman Mary Stuart also took on a heavy workload, competing in the 800m and 1500m. Stuart came into the 800-meter race with a solid 2:22.84 mark and held her own in heat two. Aurora Osburn placed 3rd overall in the women pole vault event with her 2.43m. Freshman Shiloh Vallejos placed 4th in the women's shot put competition with a 11.52m throw. 

Three Warriors competed in the javelin throw as Jocelyn Pedretti finished 4th with a 30.17m toss. Kayla Carpenter landed 6th with her 26.32m and Jaylee Hameister threw for a 21.88m land. In high jumps, Jocelyn Pedretti finished 4th with a 1.47 leap. Jalyee Hameister recorded a PR with 1.42m and Kayla Carpenter landed 1.27m. Meanwhile, Juliet David and Madison Sutton joined the pack to log strong early-season times in the distance events, setting a great baseline for the upcoming spring meets.

On the men's side, sophomore Travis Brown anchored the distance unit for the Warriors. Brown embraced the challenge of the distance double, stepping to the starting line for both the 1500m and the 3000m runs.

Entering the 3000m with a personal best of 9:47.64 and the 1500m with a 4:31.62, Brown battled through deep heats featuring athletes from across the state, putting forth a gritty performance to kickstart his outdoor season.

The 200m saw Noah Bowden finish 24th with a time of 23.07. Antonio Leal recorded a personal best with 23.35 and Logan Scammell followed closely behind with a time of 23.51. Ephraim Schmidt and Oscar Duncan participated in the 400m finishing 24th and 37th. In the hammer throw, Lucas Patterson finished 27.41m and James Brooks a spot behind him with a 26.47 toss. Lucas Patterson placed 7th in the discus throw (39.12m) and James Brook recorded a PR with 31.93. 

 The standout performance for the men's came from the men's high jump where Rogelio San Miguel placed third overall with a 1.88m. He also finished 5th in the triple jump with a 12.94 time. In the 4x400 relays, the four Warriors mix of Noah Bowden, Antonio Leal, Logan Scammell and Ephraim Schmidt placed fourth (3:27.48).

With the first official outdoor meet of 2026 in the books, the Warriors now have a foundation of times and marks to build upon as they prepare for the heart of their schedule. Jessup will return to action next as they prepare for the Kim Duyst Invitational in Turlock on March 7.