Hampton Track Wins Seven Events At Father Diamond Invite
FAIRFAX, Va. -Hampton men's and women's track & field teams combined to win seven events on Saturday at the Father Diamond Invitational hosted by George Mason University at the George Mason Field House.
The Lady Pirates took home four titles, while the Pirates won three events.
Junior Breana Norman took the 60-meter dash title with a time of 7.52. She also ran a 24.92 in the 200-meter dash to finish in second.
She also came in second in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.85.
Senior Shantae Boney won the 400-meter dash in 56.64. Boney was also on the 4x400-meter relay team - along with junior Emmy Fraenk, junior Malekah Holland, and senior Benita Taylor- that won gold with a time of 3:45.85.
Junior Teiara Denmark won the long jump with a mark of 5.88 meters (19 feet, 3.5 inches).
Sophomore Chidi Okezie won the 200-meter dash on the men's side in 22.07.
Junior Je'Von Hutchison ran a 48.69 to win the 400-meter dash and he was on the 4x800-meter relay team that won the gold with a 7:42.81. Junior Larry Ramirez, senior Jaleel Rogers, and sophomore Edose Ibadin were also on that team.
Ibadin also came in second in the 400-meter dash with a 49.83.
For the complete story, visit www.hamptonpirates.com
Lady Bears Have Successful Day At George Mason; Record 20 Top 10 Finishes
FAIRFAX, Va.- Morgan State women's indoor track and field team returned to the track on Saturday for the first time in 2013 as they competed in the Father Diamond Invitational held at the George Mason Field House.
The Lady Bears, who last competed on December 6th at Navy, finished with 20 top 10 finishes, including two first-place finishes on Saturday.
Morgan State had a productive day in the field events, as Ranita Mealer captured first-place in the shot put with a throw of 47-10.00. Angela Bursey came in second with a toss of 42-09.00 and Sharita Moore (38-04.00) placed fifth.
Jeanelle Ovid claimed the Lady Bears' other first-place mark, winning the high jump event with a height of 5-05.00.
Samantha Clay took second in the weight throw with a mark of 48-10.00 and Mealer finished fourth with a throw of 43-04.50. Moore placed fifth with a throw of 42-02.00.
The Lady Bears also had outstanding performances in the running events. Britney Wattley placed third in the 60 meter dash in a time of 7.69 and Teyanna Green came in fifth in a time of 7.75.
Wattley also placed fifth in the 200 meter dash, finishing in a time of 25.50, while Charisma Green came in ninth in a time of 25.93.
Monae Waller came in fourth in the 60 meter hurdles, crossing the line in a time of 9.13. Tere Cooley ran a time of 59.25 to finish fifth in the 400 meter dash.
Ishakeema Swain (2:32.83) finished third in the 800 meter run and also placed sixth in the mile run in a time of 5:23.99.
Ekundayo Sogbesan finished sixth in the 500 meter dash in a time of 1:15.46. Nichole Candelaria finished ninth in a time of 1:16.48.
For the complete story, visit www.morganstatebears.com
Taylor Wins Twice in Record Fashion at Penn State
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Norfolk State junior James Taylor blazed to victories in both the 60 and 200 meters and set meet records in both on Saturday at the Penn State Relays at Ashenfelter Track.
Taylor began his day by posting the fastest qualifying time in the 60m (6.83), then went on to a comfortable win with his time of 6.75 in the finals. He was just getting warmed up, though, as he posted the nation's fastest 200m time through the first month of the season with a 20.92 clocking. The 20.92 is also an indoor PR for Taylor.
Taylor wasn't the only Spartan to fare well in the team's first meet of the New Year. Freshman Damian Smith was third in the 60 (6.94) and second behind Taylor in the 200 with his personal-best time of 21.50. Smith's 200m time is currently second in the country behind his teammate through the first month of action.
Senior Kenneth Smith made it a 1-2-3 Spartan sweep in the 200m with his time of 21.70.
Elsewhere on the track Saturday, junior Nathnael Meseret placed third in the 3,000 meters with a time of 8:39.30. Teammate Damtew Adnew was seventh (8:52.43).
Taylor, Kenneth Smith, Damian Smith and Keith Nkrumah capped the meet with a second-place finish in the 4x400 meter relay (3:14.20).
In field events, freshman Jamarian Bates made it 2-for-2 as he won his second long jump title in as many meets in his rookie campaign. And like his winning jump at CNU last month, Bates again posted a top leap of 23 feet, 5.25 inches to take first place Saturday.
Senior John James also jumped well at the meet, notching a runner-up finish with his height of 6-10.75 in the high jump. Rounding out the top field performers, sophomore Michael Mingo-Dabney was seventh in the weight throw with a personal-best toss of 49-10.
For the complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com
Field Performers Shine for Spartan Women at Penn State
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Champagne Bell's victory in the long jump led a strong showing in the field events for the Spartan women's track team at the Penn State Relays at Ashenfelter Track on Saturday.
Bell's top jump was 19 feet, 2 inches. That came on her last attempt after fouling in four of her first five tries.
Sophomore Kaydianne McKenzie also jumped well Saturday, taking a second-place finish in the triple jump while placing sixth in the long jump. McKenzie's best leap was 38-0.75 in the triple jump, and her top mark in the long jump was 17-2.25.
Freshman Kiara Howell and sophomore Tiara Davis also posted top-five finishes in their events. Howell was third in the shot put (46-10) and Davis was second in the pole vault (10-2).
NSU also performed well on the track, posting seven top-five finishes. Rookie Brittney McCants had two of those, placing fourth in the 200 meters (season-best 25.39) and fifth in the 60 (7.62). She ran a season-best 60m time of 7.56 in the prelims.
In the 200m, McCants led a 4-5-6 effort from the Spartan sprinters. Torie Cunningham was fifth (25.41), just ahead of Rayiana Johnson (25.43).
In the longer 500m distance, junior Ashley Sessoms recorded a fifth-place finish with a time of 1:20.74. The top five places in that event were all decided by less than one second.
Another first-year sophomore, Ra'Shaun Combs, was second in the 1,000 (3:13.93). Tori Lewis-Johnson was fourth (3:19.68) in the same event.
Freshman Jazmine Vaughan provided another highlight for the Spartans with her fourth-place finish in the 60 meter hurdles. Vaughan ran an 8.92 in the prelims and a season-best 8.84 in the finals.
For the complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com
MSU's Stewart, Butler Lead Impressive Outing At Father Diamond Invite
FAIRFAX, Va. - Junior Emmanuel Stewart led the Morgan State men's indoor track and field team at the Father Diamond Invitational at George Mason Field House on Saturday. Stewart beat out VCU's Frank Afriyie (57-0¼) to win the weight throw posting a winning toss of 57-4¼ (17.48m).
The 9-team Invitational was a non-team scored meet.
Morgan State junior Jefferson Butler captured first place in the shot put with a throw of 15.16m, while teammates Stewart (13.64m) and freshman Isahq Rana (13.29m) placed sixth and eighth respectively.
Freshman Kenyon Wright recorded a third place finish in the high jump at 1.95m, while freshman Nigel Thompson placed fourth in the long jump at 6.62m, while
The Bears 4x400m relay placed seventh with a time of 3:26.79. Freshman Evan Johnson, ran the opening leg, followed by sophomore Aaron Strums, freshman Nigel Thompson and freshman Kenyon Wright.
Sophomore Aaron Covington posted a top-10 time by taking sixth place in the 400m dash when he clocked in at 50.15. Senior DeAndre Robinson recorded a 6th place finish at 51.22.
Covington and Rolando Reid led the Bears in the 200 meter dash. Covington posted a second-place finish with a time of 22.61, and Reid, a freshman, placed sixth by crossing the line at 22.84, followed by sophomore Brandon Hairston in seventh place at 22.85.
Reid also completed the 60 meters in a time of 7.12 to place eighth in the preliminaries.
Sophomore Harold Lamour placed 5th in the 800m run at 1:59.32, followed by Nicolas Smith at 12th place (2:04.02) and senior Christian Smooth at 13th (2:04.18).
William Campbell finished 6th for the Bears in the mile run at 4:28.33. Smooth took 9th place at 4:34.20. Campbell also placed eighth place in the 3000m run at 9:19.94.
Sophomore Aaron Strums placed third in the 60m hurdles at 8.40.
Brandon Hairston placed 14th in the 500m dash with a time of 1:07.52.
For the compete story, visit www.morganstatebears.com.