Gates Wins High Jump, Mikinski Finishes on Podium at Pac-12 Championships
BOULDER, Colo. – Arizona Track and Field completed day two of the Pac-12 Championships on Saturday at the University of Colorado's Potts Field.
Emma Gates stole the show for the Wildcats, winning the women's high jump with a personal best clearance to earn her first career conference championships crown. Paris Mikinski also finished third in the event as the Wildcats notched two podium finishes on the day.
Eight Wildcats scored points for the team as both the men's and women's squads sit in fourth place, heading into the final day of competition.
TOP-THREE FINISHES
Emma Gates – Pac-12 Champion, Women's High Jump, 6-2 (1.88m)
Paris Mikinski – Third, Women's High Jump, 5-10.5 (1.79m)
PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS SCORERS
Emma Gates – Pac-12 Champion, Women's High Jump, 10 points
Paris Mikinski – Third, Women's High Jump, 6 points
Sam Hala'ufia – Sixth, Men's Shot Put, 3 points
Tapenisa Havea – Sixth, Women's Shot Put, 3 points
Tanner Kippes – Sixth, Men's Pole Vault, 3 points
Hollan Powers – Sixth, Women's Heptathlon, 3 points
Cooper Quigley – Seventh, Men's 3000m Steeplechase, 2 points
Tyler Michelini – Eighth, Men's Shot Put, 1 point
FIELD HIGHLIGHTS
Emma Gates won the women's high jump at the Pac-12 Championships to earn her first career conference championship victory and the team's first win of the meet. Gates cleared a huge personal best height of 6-2 (1.88m) in what turned into a jump off between her and Cheyla Scott of Oregon. She cleared that height on her second attempt which gave her the tiebreaker and the Pac-12 Championships victory. Gates improved her personal best clearance height by two inches and also met the US Olympic Trails qualifying standard in the event. She earned the Wildcats' 14th conference event win all-time in the high jump, which is the most of any event in women's program history. The last winner was Talie Bonds in 2022.
Gates wasn't alone in the high jump competition as Paris Mikinski also notched a third-place finish in the event, which is the first conference podium finish of her career. Mikinski cleared a height of 5-10.5 (1.79m) which is right around her personal record. The duo did their part for the team as they entered the competition as the first and third-best high jumpers in the conference. In total, the Wildcats earned 16 points from the event.
Senior Tanner Kippes cleared a season-best height in the men's pole vault of 16-4.5 (4.99m). Kippes finished sixth overall to earn three points for the men's team. It is the second time in his collegiate career that he has scored at the Pac-12 Championships.
In the women's shot put, Tapenisa Havea placed sixth overall with a throw of 51-11 (15.82m) to score three points for the team. It is the second consecutive year that the sophomore has finished sixth for the Wildcats in the shot at the Pac-12 Championships. Lauryn Love finished ninth in the event as well.
A pair of Wildcat freshman scored for the team in the men's shot put. Sam Hala'ufia placed sixth with a throw of 56-3.25 (17.15m) and Tyler Michelini finished in eighth with a throw of 56-2.75 (17.14m) as the duo combined for four points. Michael Ogbeiwi competed in the event as well.
In the men's hammer, Michael Ogbeiwi launched a huge personal best throw on his first attempt of the competition. His mark of 207-11 (63.38m) helped him advance to the men's final where he finished ninth overall. That throw moves Ogbeiwi into 10th all-time in school history in the event.
TRACK HIGHLIGHTS
Cooper Quigley finished seventh overall in the men's 3000m steeplechase with a time of 9:31.98. Quigley earned two points for the Wildcats in the event. It was the sophomore's first time scoring at the Pac-12 Championships in his career.
Two Wildcats qualified for tomorrow's final in the men's 100m: Tyson Tippett and Trayvion White-Austin. The duo both finished in the top two in each of their prelim heats to automatically qualify with Tippett running a time of 10.33 and White-Austin clocking 10.37. Tippett also qualified in the men's 200m yesterday and will now run in both finals tomorrow. He finished fifth overall in the prelims of the 100m and White-Austin placed sixth. James Onanubosi placed 14th in the event with a time of 10.58 as well.
Zachary Extine clocked a big personal best time in the prelims of the men's 110m hurdles of 13.85 to finish fifth and advance to tomorrow's final. That time is fifth all-time in school history and was the fastest in the competition outside of the top two finishers in each heat. It is also the first time in his career that he has run sub-14 seconds in the event.
McKenna Watson just narrowly missed out on qualifying for the women's 100m final tomorrow. Watson ran a personal best time of 11.53 which ties her for fifth all-time in school history in the event. However, she finished ninth overall in the prelims with only the top eight advancing. Nevertheless, she will compete in the women's 200m final tomorrow. Freshman Jade Brown ran a time of 11.56 (+2.1) to finish 12th in the women's 100m. Additionally, senior Presley Money matched her record in the event. Dakota Minor, Zana Ryan, and Lauryn Ford all competed in the prelims as well.
In the prelims of the men's 400m, Isaac Davis clocked a season best time of 46.33 to finish 11th. Jacob Samford also ran a personal best time in the event of 46.75 and placed 14th.
In the women's 400m prelims, Camila Aguilar-Perez clocked a time of 54.09 to place 10th. Freshman Ava Simms finished 13th with a time of 54.27.
Cade Russo finished 13th in the prelims of the men's 800m, clocking a time of 1:51.51. Noah Ray and Christian Simmons also competed in the event.
In the prelims of the women's 100m hurdles, Taylen Wise clocked a time of 14.23.
MULTIS HIGHLIGHTS
Entering the day, Hollan Powers sat in sixth place in the women's heptathlon with 3332 points and Emily Psarras sat in 12th with 2601 points. After posting three personal bests in four events on day one, Powers kept it going in the first event of day two, the long jump. She finished seventh overall with a personal record leap of 19-0.75 (5.81m). In the javelin, Powers finished ninth and Psarras finished second by matching her personal best in the event.
To wrap up the competition, Powers notched a third-place finish in the 800m. Overall, she placed sixth in the heptathlon to score three points for the Wildcats and posted a personal best score of 5432 which is sixth all-time in school history. She posted personal bests in four of the seven events. Psarras placed 11th overall as well.
UP NEXT
The final Pac-12 Championships conclude on Sunday at Potts Field in Boulder, Colo. The final day of the competition begins at 10:00 a.m. MST.
TEAM SCORES
MEN (8/21 Events Scored)
1. Washington – 82
2. California – 67
3. USC – 29
t-4. Arizona – 26
t-4. Colorado – 26
t-4. Oregon – 26
7. Stanford – 20
8. Washington St. – 17
9. UCLA – 11
10. Arizona St. - 8
WOMEN (8/21 Events Scored)
1. Oregon – 65
2. UCLA – 56
3. Colorado – 53
4. Arizona – 42
5. Stanford – 21
6. Washington St. – 20
7. Oregon St. – 15
8. USC – 14
9. Washington – 13
10. Utah – 7
11. California – 6
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