ALLENDALE, Mich. – In a span of three hours on Friday at the Grand Valley State Lacrosse/Track & Field Stadium, the Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s track & field team tallied 27 points on the team standings to lead the Division II National Championships after two of three days. The Lion women head into the final day with four top-seeded marks.

Moaz Ibrahim (Cairo, Egypt) broke the school record in the men’s discus with a mark of 200 feet 10 inches (61.21m), which is also the new Division II National Championships meet record and fourth all-time in Division II history. He achieved in the mark in his third throw. In the last three men’s discus championships contested, the Lions have two national championships and one runner-up finish.

Ushan Perera (Mahabage, Sri Lanka) became the first student-athlete in school history with four National Championships by winning the high jump crown once again. He cleared 7 feet 3.75 inches (2.22m), while Justin Lewis (Lynn. Mass.) and Dakari Hill(Orlando, Fla.) tied for fifth by clearing 7 feet one inch (2.16m). This is the first time that both Lewis and Hill reached the podium in their careers.

The Lions’ 27 points are atop the team leaderboard, the top five on the men’s side heading into Saturday.

MEN’S TEAM STANDINGS (Through 8 of 21 events)

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WICHITA FALLS – A record-shattering second half for the No. 3 ranked Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s basketball team helped the Lions cruise to an 81-35 win over the Midwestern State Mustangs at D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Thursday night and move to 10-0 on the season.
 
Midwestern State was held to just seven points in the second half, which is the least amount of points allowed by the Lions in a half under coach Jason Burton. The one point allowed in the fourth quarter is the lowest mark since the NCAA implemented quarters in women’s basketball in 2015-16. The Mustangs were held without a field goal in a quarter for the first time in program history.
 
The Mustangs, who fall to 5-4, did not make a field goal in the last 16 minutes and 50 seconds, scoring just two points in that stretch. The Lions’ margin of victory of 46 points is the most by either team in Wichita Falls in the 50 meetings between the two teams.
 
A&M-Commerce fell down 4-2 in the first two minutes of the game, but responded by scoring the next 11 points in a span of three minutes. Chania Wright (DeSoto) had four of the 11 points. The Lions held Midwestern State to shoot 0 for 5 in that stretch.
 
Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star) knocked down a three pointer with 2:48 to go in the first quarter to give the Lions their largest lead of the first half, 18-8. Midwestern State cut into the Lion lead by holding them scoreless for the next two minutes and trailed 20-14 at the end of the first half.
 
The Lions were held without a point for the first three and a half minutes in the second quarter. The Mustangs capitalized and cut it to 20-18. A jumper by Dyani Robinson (Langham Creek) with 4:55 to go in the quarter was A&M-Commerce’s first made field goal of the second quarter, giving the Lions a 23-20 lead.
 
Midwestern State stayed within one possession of the Lions for most of the second quarter and took its first lead of the half on a layup by Frances King at the 2:55 mark at 26-25. Robinson regained the lead for the Lions with an and-one. The Lions closed out the first half with a mini 4-0 run on jumpers by Wright and DesiRay Kernal (Newton, Kan.) to lead 32-28 at the half.
 
Laila Lawrence (Lewisville) was halfway towards a double-double in the first half with eight points and six rebounds. She also had 2 steals.
 
The Lions started the third quarter on a 6-0 run to match their largest lead of the game at 38-28. Lawrence gave the Lions a 48-33 lead with 4:03 to go in the third quarter, which was their largest lead up to that points. A&M-Commerce held the Mustangs without a made basket for six minutes and 50 seconds during the third quarter. Yasmine Sifaoui ended the Mustangs’ scoring drought with a free throw.
 
Heading into the fourth quarter, the Lions led by 53-34. The Mustangs were held to shoot 2 for 15 from the field in the third quarter and made one of their two free throw attempts, scoring one point in the last seven minutes of the third quarter.
 
The scoring drought for the Mustangs extended into the fourth quarter. They were held to a point in the quarter. A&M-Commerce scored 28 in the quarter.
 
Lawrence and Kernal nearly missed double doubles. Lawrence totaled 19 points on 8 for 16 shooting as well as nine rebounds and two blocks. Kernal grabbed 13 rebounds and scored nine points, she also had three assists.
 
Robinson led the team in scoring with 18, she also tallied three assists. Asiyha Smith (Conway, Ark.) scored seven points in the fourth quarter, while Wright scored six in the game.
 
Ravae Payne (Pearland) recorded four points and two rebounds. Deck scored six, while Victoria Hinton (Potomac, Va.) totaled four points and four rebounds.
 
No Midwestern State player had more than six points in the game. The two teams meet again in two weeks in Commerce to open Lone Star Conference play on Friday, December 31 at 2 p.m.

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COMMERCE – In the anticipated rematch of the 2017 NCAA Division II National Championship, the No. 1 West Florida Argonauts defeated the No. 13 Texas A&M University-Commerce football team, 35-17, at Memorial Stadium in front of 8,269 fans on Saturday evening.
 
The Argonauts picked up their first win over the Lions and remain undefeated, 3-0, on the year. The Lions fall to 1-2 on the season.
 
Chance Cooper (Leander – Rouse) opened up the scoring on a seven-yard catch from Jaiave Magalei (Tacoma, Wash.). Cooper has now caught a touchdown pass in two games in a row and led the team with 64 yards on five catches. Magalei went 14 for 23 in the passing game for 159 yards, a touchdown pass, and an interception.
 
West Florida tied the game just four minutes later, on a 33-yard catch by Larry Rembert.
 
The Lions took the lead once again in the first quarter on a four-yard rush by E.J. Thompson (Cy Ranch), who led all Lions’ rushers with 43 yards on 12 carries. He also caught a pass for 13 yards.  
 
Anthony Johnson Jr. tied it once again with a seven-yard run with 11 minutes left in the second quarter.
 
A&M-Commerce went into the locker room with a 17-14 lead thanks to a 33-yard field goal with four seconds left in the half by Jake Viquez (Rockwall), who went 1 for 2 in field goal attempts.
 
The Argonauts shut out the Lions in the second half. They took the lead on an eight-yard run by Jervon Newton and extended it to 11 on the first play of the fourth quarter with a 19-yard touchdown reception by David Durden. West Florida quarterback Austin Reed threw for 274 yards on 18 for 32 passing and also threw two touchdowns.
 
Shomari Mason punched it in from the one-yard line in the fourth to give West Florida a 35-14 lead.
 
The Lions leading tackler on defense was Dominique Ramsey (Converse – Judson) with eight total tackles. He also had 126 return yards. His longest punt return was 45 and longest kick return was 35.
 
D’Angelo Ellis (Cy Ridge) broke up three passes and also had four tackles. Kader Kohou (Euless – Trinity) had five tackles, one for loss and a broken up pass.
 
The Lions look to keep the Chennault Cup in their possession when they travel to Kingsville to take on Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday, September 25 at 7 p.m.

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WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Midwestern State coach Kelsey Bruce released her first cross country and track and field signing class Friday afternoon.

The class includes 15 prep standouts including eight track and field student-athletes and seven cross country prospects.

Here is a breakdown of the class:

Sabrie Alaniz | Abilene, Texas / Abilene HS

Alaniz is a two-time regional qualifier in cross country and twice competed in the Area track meet as a distance specialist at Abilene High School.

She finished as the District 2-6A runner-up in the 3,200-meter run as a senior this spring with a time of 12:52.42 and was fifth at the 1,600-meter distance with a time of 5:49.52.

Alaniz competed in the Region I-6A Cross Country Championships at the close of her sophomore and junior seasons.

She owns top times of 19:41.00 at 5,000 meters, 12:12.81 at 3,200 meters and 5:35.30 at 1,600 meters.

Grace Candeloro | Denton, Texas / Guyer HS

Candeloro closed her prep career with a state qualifying run in the high jump at Denton Guyer High School.

She finished eighth with a jump of 5 feet and 2 inches at UIL Texas Class 6A Championships after taking second in the Region I-6A meet with a personal best mark of 5 feet, 4 inches. The height would be a program record at MSU.

Candeloro opened her prep career claiming District 6-6A titles in the long and triple jumps and owns personal best marks of 16 feet, 6 inches in the long jump and 33 feet 10 inches in the triple jump.

She intends to major in kinesiology at Midwestern State.

Arianna Carballeira | Freer, Texas / Freer HS

Carballeira is a two-time state qualifier and district champion who led Freer High School to its first team district team cross country championship last fall.

She gained regional and state qualification in both of her junior and senior campaigns improving from a 59th-place finish in 2019 to take 11th in 2020.

Carballeira enjoyed success in the spring claiming individual titles in the 800- and 1,600-meter runs at both the District 32-2A and Region IV-2A championships as a senior.

She finished in the Top 10 of her class, served as a class officer and is a member of the National Honor Society.

Carballeira intends to major in radiology at Midwestern State.

Cederia Ellis | Fort Worth, Texas / North Crowley HS

Ellis played a key role in four regional qualifying relay teams during her stellar prep career at North Crowley High.

She was a member of a district and Area championship teams in both the 4×100- and 4×200-meter relay teams.

Ellis is coming off of a tremendous showing the 200-meter dash as a senior this spring placing third at the District 3-6A meet with a season-best time of 25.90. She advance to take fifth at the Area meet.

She also owns a PR of 13.38 in the 100-meter dash set in the 2020 Lancaster Meet of Champions.

Nathalia Escontrias | Odessa, Texas / Odessa HS

Escontrias claimed three district championships during a standout prep career at Odessa High School.

She is a two-time District 2-6A titlist in cross country claiming victories as a junior in 2019 and as a sophomore in 2018 while advancing to the Region I-6A meet three times as a Broncho.

Escontrias also claimed a league individual championship in the 800-meter dash as a sophomore by posting a PR time of 2:21.44, then battled to a runner-up showing as a senior this spring.

She intends to major in radiology at Midwestern State.

Macy Flowers | Vernon, Texas / Vernon HS

Flowers adds to a tremendous family legacy at Midwestern State.

She follows her mother, Mindy Myers, and cousins Drew and Jordan Coffman, but will make her own mark in a new sport. Myers is a member of the MSU Athletics Hall of Honor as a four-year letter winner in basketball from 1991-94 helping the then-Lady Indians to consecutive NAIA National Tournament appearances, while the Coffmans were members of the Mustangs’ LSC title squad in men’s basketball in 2006-07 and advanced to the South Central Region semifinals.

Flowers is a highly decorated athlete in her own right earning UIL Texas Class A All-State honors in track and cross country as a freshman and sophomore at  Benjamin High School before moving on to larger Vernon High School where she was a regional qualifier in both sports.

She was a state silver medalist in the 400-meter dash as a sophomore in 2019 with a time of 59.15 after winning the district cross country title as a freshman in 2018.

At Vernon High, she was a district runner-up in cross country as a junior, then qualified for the Region I-4A Championships in the 300-meter hurdles and high jump this spring.

Flowers was a member of the National Honor Society and A Honor Roll at Vernon High. She intends to major in Pre-Dental studies at Midwestern State.

Reece Johnson | Georgetown, Texas / Georgetown HS

Johnson gained regional qualification in three events to close a stellar senior campaign at Georgetown High School.

She rode pair of strong preliminary runs to finish seventh in the 100-meter and eighth in the 300-meter hurdles at the 2021 Region IV-5A Championships. The performances came on the heels of a Area winning, personal best time of 15.43 in the 100-meter hurdles and a fourth-place showing in the 300-meter hurdles posting a PR of 45.14.

Johnson also gained a fifth-place finish in the 4×100-meter relay at the Region IV-5A meet.

As a sophomore, she sprinted her way to a District 18-5A title with a season-best time of 46.04 before finishing as Area runner-up and taking fifth at the regional meet. She also helped the 4×400-meter relay squad claim district and area championships

Daiza Jones | Haltom City, Texas / Haltom HS

Jones comes off of a stellar spring at Haltom High. She claimed the District 3-6A championship in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:00.59 before taking third in the event at the Area meet. She then ran a personal best time of 1:00.27 in the I-6A Regional meet.

Jones also showed great overall improvement at other distances. She took fifth in the 2000-meter dash at the District 3-6A championship with a time of 26.90 after posting a personal best time of 13.02 in the 100-meter dash earlier in the season.

Jones gained honorable mention Academic All-State accolades from the Texas High School Coaches’ Association (THSCA) and is a member of the Science National Honor Society.

She intends to major in kinesiology at Midwestern State.

Addilyn Keys | Childress, Texas / Childress HS

Keys brings all-around athleticism to Midwestern State as a multi-sport standout at Childress High School.

She closed her prep career with a flourish claiming a District 2-3A in the long jump (17-4) and was the league’s runner-up in the 800-meter dash (2:29.24) earning regional qualification in both events.

Keys twice advanced to the regional meet during cross country season, while finishing sixth overall at the District 8-3A met as a junior in 2019.

She was also a two-time defensive player of the year in basketball.

Reese Lee | McKinney, Texas / North HS

Lee arrives from a competitive program at McKinney North High School under coach Jessica Richards.

She helped the Bulldogs to a regional cross country appearance as a sophomore in 2018 as the District 10-5A runners-up. McKinney North enjoyed a third-place district showing last fall during Lee’s senior campaign.

Lee boasts top times of 20:03 in the 5,000-meter run, 12:33 in the 3,200-meter run and 5:49 in the 1,600-meter run.

Tyshi Reynolds | Dallas, Texas / Skyline HS

Reynolds closed out her prep career on a high note turning in personal best individual performances in the District 10-6A Championships, while also helping Skyline High to regional qualification in the 4×200- and 4×400-meter relays.

She claimed matching fourth-place showings clocking a 59.60 in the 400 and 2:22.91 in the 800.

Reynolds was the district champion in the 800-meter run as a sophomore after claiming district and area championships as part of the 4×400-meter relay squads as a freshman in 2018.

She intends to major in early childhood education at Midwestern State.

Kennedy Smith | Cedar Hill, Texas / Cedar Hill HS

Smith enjoyed a stellar spring season as a two-time regional qualifier at Cedar Hill High.

She helped the Longhorns to a fourth-place finish in the 4×200-meter relay in the Region I-6A meet before finishing 11th in the 4×400-meter relay.

Smith was also a member of Cedar Hill’s regional qualifier in the 4×100-meter relay as a sophomore. The Longhorns placed seventh in the meet.

An experience prep runner, Smith competed on the club level for the Cedar Hill Blaze (2011-17) and the Desoto Nitro (2017-19).

She intends to major in Kinesiology at Midwestern State.

Corinne Thorpe | Grand Prairie, Texas / South Grand Prairie HS

Thorpe capped off a stellar senior campaign with an Area championship in the 100-meter dash.

The four-year varsity letter winner from South Grand Prairie High also clocked a personal-best time of 12.20 to finish as the District 8-6A runner up in 2021 before clocking a 12.43 at Area. She finished seventh in the Region I-6A meet.

Thorpe also helped the Warriors to a runner-up finish at the Area meet in the 4×200-meter relay and a third-place showing in the 4×100.

She intends to major in English at Midwestern State.

Presley Wall | Decatur, Texas / Decatur HS

Wall brings a bevy of big meet experience coming out of a powerhouse program at Decatur High School.

She earned Texas Girls’ Coaches Association (TGCA) All-State honors as a senior helping the Eagles to a seventh-place team finish at the UIL Texas Class 4A Championship pacing 54th overall covering the 3,200-meter course in 13:37.00.

Wall also turned in strong postseason showings finishing seventh in the Region I-4A meet after racing to a ninth-place showing at the District 7-4A Championship.

She was also a member of Decatur’s run to a seventh-place team showing at the 2019 state meet placing 111th overall as an individual.

Wall is also accomplished on the track as a three-time regional qualifier in the 1,600-meter run, then also advanced to the regional meet in the 3,200-meter run as a senior.

She intends to major in psychology at Midwestern State.

D’Nyah Winn | Forney, Texas / Crandall HS

Winn arrives at Midwestern State following a solid senior campaign at Crandall High School.

As a senior, she was a member of two Area qualifying relay squads finishing third in the 4×100-meter relay and fifth in the 4×200-meter relay.

Winn posted the third-best preliminary time in the District 13-5A Championships with a personal best 26.50 in the 200-meter dash before finishing seventh in the finals. She also placed fifth with a personal best leap of 33 feet, 10 inches in the triple jump.

As a sophomore, she helped the Pirates to a pair of regional qualifying performances in the 4×100- and 4×200-meter relays.

She intends to major in respiratory care at Midwestern State.

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