HOUSTON – A last-minute schedule change didn't affect the Alcorn State University track & field programs as they competed at the 66th Annual Texas Southern Relays on Friday and Saturday at Alexander Durley Stadium.
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Alcorn was originally scheduled to compete at UL-Lafayette but re-routed to Texas Southern.
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The Lady Braves turned in a big outing in the women's long jump. Freshman
Justice Edwards landed at a mark of 5.72m to earn a silver medal. It crushed her season-best from indoors of 4.78m. Senior
Shaniqua Knowles finished top-10 in the event with a 5.35m mark, and also placed top-five in the triple jump with a leap of 11.46m.
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Alcorn garnered similar success in the women's 400m. In the prelims Friday, freshman
Jessica Ransom dashed for a personal-record of 55.69. It topped her 56.06 that she ran to win the SWAC Indoor Championships. Freshman
Nathalya McMillion also qualified for the finals with a personal-record of 57.61 which bested her 58.86 from SWAC indoors.
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Ransom pulled out of Saturday's finals, while McMillion placed fifth.
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Another second-place time came in the women's 400m hurdles where freshman
Tymesha Nabors scored a 1:03.84. It was her first time running in the event at the collegiate level.
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Sophomore
Jada Hunt recorded a big outing as she sprinted for a 24.76 to earn a top-five time in the women's 200m. She also qualified for the finals of the 100m after clocking in at 12.15, and grabbed seventh-place in the finals.
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In women's middle-distance, sophomore
Angelica Jacobs notched a top-five time of 2:20.28 in the women's 800m. It was just a step ahead of freshman
Shaquanda Hill who submitted a 2:20.54. Junior
Dynasty Williams placed top-five in the 1500m with a 5:15.33.
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Senior
Dominique Edwards was all over the leaderboards in women's throws. She registered a seventh-place throw in the discus (41.27m), eighth in the hammer (42.24) and top-10 in the shot put (11.40m).
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The men's side was highlighted by a pair of freshmen in the 100m.
Kemar Cumberbatch and
Jaylen Muhammed both qualified for the finals with respective times of 10.69 and 10.83 in Friday's prelims. Muhammed improved his score with a 10.76 to end in eighth in Saturday's finals, while Cumberbatch did not run.
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The Braves closed out the meet strong with a top-five performance in the 4x400m relay. The team of seniors
Devaunte Richardson and
Marquis Prentiss, and freshmen
Darius Major and
Anterious Brown won their heat with a time of 3:16.37. It was a season-best for the crew and an improvement from last week's 3:19.71 set at McNeese State.
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Alcorn will have next weekend off before it competes again at the Texas Relays on March 29 – April 1. The 2017 SWAC Outdoor Championships is slated for May 5-7 in Huntsville, Alabama.
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