ABILENE, TX (04.15.22) - The UT Dallas men's and women's track & field programs broke six records and set one new mark as the Comets closed the regular season at the War Hawks Classic, hosted by McMurry.

Comet Abbey Whittle broke her own marks in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes on Friday while Brynne Blackmar edged her own record in the high jump, highlighting the women's competitors at the event.

Whittle's mark of 15.02 in the 100 broke her own mark by nearly two tenths of a second while her record-breaking performance of 31.16 in the 200 knocked off sixth tenths off her old mark. 

Rebecca Betanzo (2:42.20) and Rachel Kahler (3:03.24) competed in the 800-meter run while Betanzo also set a program season-best in teh 1,500-meter run with a time of 5:29.00. Jocelyn Heckenkamp (5:53.95) and Kahler (6:12.68) also ran the 1,500.

Blackmar's high jump of 1.56 meters bettered her own mark by a quarter inch as she competed in two field events for the Comets. Blackmar also recorded a throw of 32.42 meters in the javelin. Kris Castillo had a pole vault of 2.13 meters.

On the men's side, UTD also broke three record while recording the first-ever time in the steeplechase on Friday. Muaaz Makda broke his own mark in the 400-meter dash while Trent Sakakini became the first-ever Comet to compete in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, recording the top time in the ASC this season. Chase Koeppen set a new mark in the javelin throw while the Comets' 4x400-meter relay squad set a new program best.

Sakakini's steeplechase performance highlighted the men's performances at the classic, recording a time of 9:59.45. Muaaz broke his own mark in the 400 with a time of 49.21.

Christian Pack was the fastest of four Comets in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.20. Dami Oyadiran (11.23), Rami Habbas (11.28) and Raphael Park (11.51) also competed in the event.

Pack also paced three UTD men in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.78. Oyadiran (23.86) and Park (23.96) also ran the event.

The Comets had six runners in the 800-meter run with Matthew Chimitt leading the way with a personal-best time of 1:58.46. Nathaniel Brim (2:01.12), Rafael Popoca (2:08.89), Mitch Carter (2:09.91), Justin Ardis (2:10.15) and Gavin Thomas (2:13.58) also competed.

Devan Bailey paced seven Comets in the 1,500-meter run with a season-best time of 4:15.09. Carter (4:20.12), Thomas (4:28.05), Jayden Chambless (4:33.75), Popoca (4:45.46), Joel Guzman (4:52.35) and Jacob Perez (4:57.77) also ran the event.

Chimitt (16:45.07) and Rohan Springer (17:47.55) both competed in the 5,000-meter run.

The Comet's 4x400 squad of Pack, Chimitt, Ardis and Makda set the new program record at 3:22.08. The teams' 4x100-meter squad of Pack, Park, Habbas and Makda recorded a time of 43.89.

Koeppen highlighted the men's field results with a school-record throw of 40.52 meters. Oyadiran recorded a leap of 6.25 meters in the long jump while Lucas Wick (34.54m) and Jackson Tucker (33.63m) competed in the discus throw.

The Comets return to action May 5-7 at the ASC Championships, also hosted by McMurry in Abilene.