Men's Track & Field | 12/8/2024 8:31:00 PM

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Asa Francis and Andrew Betton were victorious while Kyah La Fortune impressed in her collegiate debut as the Coppin State men's & women's track & field teams opened the 2024-25 indoor season on Saturday at the Youree Spence-Garcia Invitational.
 
Francis won the 1,000m Run in 2:30.36 and also ran a leg of the gold medal winning 4x400m Relay that clocked a 3:18.12.  Jarrett Gentles led off the relay, followed by Francis, Abdul Razak and Etiam Torgbenu.
 
Betton took first in the 60m hurdles while also taking second in the high jump by clearing 1.93m (6' 4") and seventh in the long jump, leaping 6.40m (21' 0").
 
Razak led the Eagles in the 600m, finishing fourth overall and first amongst collegiate athletes in 1:19.43.  Following just behind in fifth was Torgbenu (1:19.53) and Gentles in sixth (1:20.16). Jayeed Norbal also finished eighth in 1:23.12.
 
Amiri Goode doubled up in the 60m hurdles (8.89) where he finished fourth, and the long jump where he covered 6.28m (20' 7.25").
 
In the 300m dash, Solomon Hammond took sixth in 35.12, followed by Cole Schlotterbeck in 35.79.
 
Running the fourth-fastest time in CSU history while recording a PR was Humed Nura in the 3,000m (8:58.66) and Jabari Higgs-Salaam made his CSU debut by leaping 5.84m (19' 2") in the long jump.
 
On the women's side, La Fortune led a group of Eagles in the 300m, taking fourth overall by winning her heat in 39.23. Halutie Hor finished in 41.15, followed by Gifty Oku who won her heat in 41.22, and Tracey Riley in 41.23.
 
The quartet clocked a 3:54.48 in the 4x400m to take fourth and Raniya Perry tossed the shot put 9.89m (32' 5.5").
 
Coppin returns to the track after the New Year on January 10-11 for the Carolina Challenge, hosted by the University of South Carolina.