Taniya Looney Makes History with Stellar 100-Meter Performance

In a remarkable display of speed, Taniya Looney, a junior sprinter from the University of New Mexico, clocked an impressive 10.85 seconds in the women’s 100-meter national quarterfinals, marking her as one of the fastest athletes in NCAA history. This outstanding performance occurred during the NCAA West Regional Preliminaries in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where Looney not only won her heat but also secured a spot in the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships.

Looney's time ties her for the ninth-fastest in NCAA history, aligning her with former LSU sprinter Aleia Hobbs. This achievement also sets a new school record for UNM. Finishing just behind Southern California’s Brianna Selby, who completed the race in 10.83 seconds, Looney celebrated her first sub-11-second time, a personal milestone in her collegiate career.

In addition to her success in the 100 meters, Looney also advanced to the semifinals for the women's 200 meters with a time of 22.66 seconds. This marks a significant achievement as she becomes the first woman from UNM to qualify for the outdoor championships in either event since the early 1980s. Having transferred from Pittsburg State, Looney has made a significant impact this season, setting multiple program records and clinching Mountain West titles in both the 100 and 200 meters.

Looney expressed her excitement about her accomplishments, stating, “I’m kinda speechless. I’m beyond blessed — I transferred from Division II and this is my first time winning any conference (championship).” Meanwhile, her teammate Pamela Kosgei also made waves, advancing to the national final in the women’s 5K with a time of 15:17.63, finishing second overall.

Saturday's events also brought some near misses for the Lobos. Eva Ngom narrowly missed qualifying in the women's 400, finishing 13th overall, just 0.06 seconds shy of advancement. Other athletes, including Jasmine Wood and Li-Mari Dekker, faced challenges in their respective events, while the women's 4x400 relay team awaited their turn due to weather delays.

The NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships are set to take place from June 10-13 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, where Looney, Kosgei, and Marion Jepngetich will represent the Lobos on the women’s side, alongside male competitors Habtom Samuel and Matthew Endrödy.