By: Hunter McKay
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Kennesaw State track and field teams both collected runner-up finishes Saturday on the final day of the CUSA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Dean A. Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium.
The Owls scored 121 points on the women's side and 147 points on the men's side, but neither total was enough to overcome Liberty, which swept both team titles.
The Owls opened the evening with
Akerah Jones,
Ebony Whyte,
Samiya Wayne and
Kenadie Singleton winning the gold medal in the 4x100m relay in a time of 44.47 seconds. The time set a new school record and marked the second sub-45-second relay run by KSU since 2017. It also was the fastest winning time at the meet since 2015.
Jermiya Winston won the women's triple jump with a personal-best leap of 13.03m (42-9) on her final jump of the meet. The mark set a school record as she became the first female in program history to clear 13m in the triple jump. Her event win, combined with five points in the high jump, earned her the women's Most Outstanding Freshman of the Meet award.
Freshman
Marion Clark won the men's 400m hurdles in a personal-best time of 51.49 seconds. Clark's time was 0.30 seconds faster than his previous best of 51.79 seconds, which he ran at Georgia Tech in April.
Men's Recap
Aidan Boyd got KSU on the medal stand first Saturday with a toss of 64.93m (213 feet) in the javelin.
Chinedum Ike recorded a leap of 15.69m (51-5.75) to finish second in the triple jump. The jump was his season's best by 0.26m and ranks No. 46 in the NCAA this season.
Brian Limo secured six points for KSU with a third-place finish in the 5K in a time of 14:27.32.
Alex Teal recorded a toss of 58.10m (190-7) to finish eighth in the javelin.
Joao Dalandrea (52.44m | 172 feet) and
Rickey Robbins (51.94m | 170-5) combined for nine points for KSU with fourth- and fifth-place finishes, respectively, in the discus.
Freshman
Cameron Dean added a leap of 15.18m (49-9.75) on his fifth attempt to secure sixth place in the triple jump.
Edwin Kiprono ran 3:56.11 to place fifth in the 1500m. He also ran 1:51.85 to finish sixth in the 800m final.
Eric Young II (46.91 seconds) and
Justin Warner (46.98 seconds) placed seventh and eighth in the 400m.
In the 100m final,
Chance Cross finished seventh in 10.37 seconds to secure two points.
Darris Roberts crossed the finish line in 54.20 seconds to place fifth in the 400m hurdles final.
Pishon Haughton (21.89 seconds) and
Chance Cross (22.55 seconds) combined for three points for KSU in the 200m, finishing seventh and eighth.
Collins Kipkemboi (14:34.86) placed seventh in the 5K to secure two points for KSU.
Women's Recap
Tickia Sutton ran a personal-best time of 13.64 seconds to place second in the 100m hurdles final. She improved her previous best by 0.09 seconds from the time she ran at Emory last Wednesday.
Kenadie Singleton ran a personal-best time of 11.38 seconds to finish second in the 100m final. The time broke a school record that had stood since May 2017.
Victoria Joyce narrowly missed the podium in the triple jump with a leap of 12.44m (40-9.75) to secure fourth place.
Emma Sullivan ran 4:24.98 to finish fourth in the 1500m.
Madison Maxey (13.73 seconds) and
Hannah Cheek (14.12 seconds) secured six points for KSU with fourth- and seventh-place finishes, respectively.
Eliana Mbadinga closed her season with a personal-best time of 53.98 seconds in the 400m final.
Ebony Whyte crossed the finish line in a personal-best 11.41 seconds in the 100m to secure fifth place. The time ranks second in program history.
Amelia Coker (1:01.36) and Alina Haris (1:03.84) wrapped up their seasons with fourth- and seventh-place finishes, respectively, in the 400m hurdles.
Samiya Wayne finished fifth in the 200m in a time of 23.61 seconds.
KSU had
Madison Seiler (16:52.41) and
Samantha McGarity (17:02.61) place sixth and eighth, respectively, in the 5K.
The 4x400m relay squad of
Eliana Mbadinga,
Aminah Jabbie,
Riley Perlakowski and
Samiya Wayne closed the meet with a seventh-place finish in 3:45.00.
Next Up
Athletes who rank among the top 48 in their respective events earn a berth into the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds in Lexington, Ky., from May 27-30. In addition, the top 24 relay times advance to the NCAA First Rounds.
Athletes with the top 12 times or marks, along with the top 12 relay teams at both the East and West First Rounds sites, will qualify for the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore.
The decathlon and heptathlon will not be contested during the NCAA Preliminary Rounds. Instead, the top 24 decathlon and heptathlon scores in the nation earn automatic berths to the NCAA Championships.
