The sun wasn’t the only thing shining in Houston, as the Harvard track and field team posted several bests and firsts at the Texas Southern Relays and the Victor Lopez Bayou Classic to kick off the 2008 spring season.

“We brought a much larger contingent this year,” co-captain Molly Boyle said. “We had great weather the whole time and we were able to do really well.”

Having finished strong in the indoor season, the Crimson looks to carry that momentum to the outdoors. Both squads have a lot to look forward to as the veterans improved and the rookies offered top-notch performances in Texas.

“There’s a real pressure to compete well right away,” co-captain Sally Stanton added. “The Houston meets guarantee good weather, so it’s one of our best opportunities to compete well.”

As nice as the change of scenery might have been, the Crimson will get its fair share of it this season. Harvard does not have a single meet in the state of Massachusetts during the spring.

VICTOR LOPEZ BAYOU CLASSIC

Freshman Jessica Fronk topped her personal best javelin throw of 44.49 meters—which she set the weekend before at the Texas Southern Relays—by tossing the spear 47.39 meters, good enough for a first-place finish at the Victor Lopez Bayou Classic hosted by Rice University.

“That was amazing,” Stanton said of Fronk. “She’s not usually javelin. To get out there and throw the regional qualifying meet in her first meet and then come so close to the school record in her second meet was great.”

Sophomore Eda Karesin and junior Evan Faverman closed out the top three in the women’s javelin event with 44.17 meter and 37.46 meter throws, respectively.

Junior Brittan Smith had a strong sixth-place finish in the 100-meter dash, completing the event in 12.25 seconds.

Junior Favia Merritt placed fourth in the 200 meter dash with a time of 25.39, while senior Danielle Mirabal’s 25.51 time was good enough for sixth in the event.

Junior Derek Jones completed the men’s 400-meter dash in 48.53 to wrap up the fourth spot, while freshman Dan Chenoweth finished second in the men’s 1500-meter run with a time of 3:49.87.

Christensen finished second in the high jump—first among collegians—by clearing a 1.78-meter bar, and freshman Jade Randle finished close behind, clearing 1.65 meters to finish fourth.

TEXAS SOUTHERN RELAYS

Harvard has to be happy with what it saw from its freshman at the Texas Southern Relays on March 22 at the Alexander Durley Sports Complex.

Rookies Meghan Houser and Eric Clayman picked up their first collegiate victories. Houser completed the 3K in 10:36.37, while Clayman hurled the hammer 52.06 meters to sure up the win.

Fronk finished second in the javelin with a 44.49-meter throw, earning her a regional qualification, and fellow freshman Jamie Olson picked up a second-place finish in the women’s 800-meter dash with a 2:13.28 finish. Freshman Dina Emde’s sixth-place, 1:04.26 finish in the 400-meter hurdles marked a personal best for her.

Elsewhere around the track, senior Ryan Hafer finished fifth in the men’s 3K with a time of 8:49.97, and classmate Sarah Bourne ran the women’s 5K in 18:17.90 to lock up the fourth-place spot.

Juniors Shannon Flahive and Dara Wilson finished the 100-meter hurdles just a fraction of a second apart to place third and fourth with times of 14.46 and 14.47, respectively.

In the men’s 400-meter hurdles, sophomore Justin Grinstead notched a fourth-best finish, completing the event in 54.14.

Harvard filled its women’s distance medley squad with freshman and the team of Hilary May, Thea Lee, Meredith MacGregor, and Eliza Ives answered the call, finishing second with a 12:20.26 finish.

Boyle finished fourth overall—third among college student-athletes—in the women’s hammer with a toss of 44.97 meters.

Sophomore Jack Brady finished second in both the discus and the shot put, launching the latter a personal best 15.49 meters.

Freshman Sean Gil cleared 4.60 meter to win the men’s pole vault, while senior Clara Blattler finished third on the women’s side, clearing a 3.55-meter bar.

—Staff writer Dixon McPhillips can be reached at fmcphill@fas.harvard.edu.