HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Competing at the Southern Miss Invitational inside the Marshall Bell Track and Field Complex, Alcorn Track & Field turned in nine personal-best performances, including a school- and stadium-record time over the weekend in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The two-day event ran April 3-4.
 
On the women's side, Sariah Magee placed third in the 100m with a time of 11.79, followed by Taliya Spurlock in eighth with a finishing time of 12.21 on the day. Myshell Hurse registered a personal-best mark of 24.77 in the 200m, as she took fifth place for the race. Just behind her in sixth was teammate Spurlock (24.95).
 
"We're really proud of the effort our student-athletes put in this weekend," remarked Alcorn Track & Field Head Coach Alonzo Banks. "To see so many of them hit personal-best times at the Southern Miss Invitational is a testament to the hard work they've been putting in day in and day out in practice."
 
Izayla Harris posted a new personal-best time in the 400m, registering a second-place time of 55.65. In that same race, Brianna Wilson crossed in a time of 58.56 to finish ninth. In the 100m hurdles, it was Kayotric Taplin scoring the best time with a mark of 14.08 – also a personal-best time for the freshman from Little Elm, Texas. Kaitlynn Gates (14.42) was seventh in the race, and Kaylin White (14.87) was 11th, respectfully.
 
In the women's 400m hurdles, Sanaa Parker performed a time of 1:02.21 to finish second for the event. And in the relays, the 4x400 team of Rikki Gray, Brianna Wilson, Sanaa Parker and Izayla Harris was second as the group crossed with a mark of 3:54.29. They were followed by the Purple and Gold quartet of Sariah Magee, Myshell Hurse, Kaylin White and Jaleah Netter in third with a time of 3:58.61.
 
In the long jump, Taylar Brown was third (5.51m), while Destinee Lanham performed a new personal-best mark of 41.83m in the discus throw, allowing her to place fourth overall.
 
Over in the men's events, Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) indoor champion Trellas Forrest registered a new personal-best time of 20.85 in the 200m, as he finished third overall in the race. Also running well for the Braves was Jaden Gardner (21.66) finishing eighth, and Beethoven Phanord (21.71) taking 10th.
 
Fellow SWAC champion Derrick Williams was second in the 400m as he crossed in a personal-best time of 47.19. Kendrick Matthews had a personal-best time of 4:21.98 in the 1500m, as well as teammate Darrian Wells with a time of 4:26.47 in the event – that being a personal-best performance as well.
 
"This is exactly the kind of progress we're looking for at this stage of the season," commented Banks. "When your student-athletes are setting personal bests, it tells you the training is working and that they're trusting the process. That's exciting for our program."
 
Bryan Alvarez was seventh in the 3000m with a performing time of 9:37.16 for the Purple and Gold. Desmyn McCall was eighth in the 400m hurdles (55.37), followed immediately in ninth by Ethan Campbell (55.51).
 
The men's 4x100m relay squad was second on the day with a time of 40.35, using the team of Beethoven Phanord, Trellas Forrest, Joe Coleman and Derrick Williams.
 
Meanwhile, the 4x400m relay team set a new school record, as well as a Southern Miss Invitational and stadium record time of 3:09.69, using the team of Jaden Gardner, Derrick Williams, Preston Summage and Trellas Forrest with the winning performance.
 
In the throws, Jadan Miller finished sixth in the shot put with a distance of 15.18m (49-09.75), while finishing seventh in the discus throw with a toss of 45.97m (150-10).
 
"We still have a lot of room to grow, and that's the encouraging part," continued Banks. "If we're running these kinds of times now, then I believe the best is still ahead of us. We'll keep building on this momentum going into the rest of the season."
 
Alcorn is back on the track April 17-18, traveling to the Georgia Tech Invitational in Atlanta, Georgia.
 
Follow Alcorn State Sports on Twitter (@BravesSports) for all the latest news and updates. Follow us on Instagram (@AlcornSports) and YouTube (Braves Sports Network) for even further behind-the-scenes action across all Braves Athletics.
 
The full list of Alcorn times and finishes is listed below:
 
Men's 100m
10.  Beethoven Phanord___________ 10.62
17.  Jaidon Shelby_______________ 10.72
20.  Jose Coleman_______________ 10.75
24.  Germari Wyre_______________ 10.86
46.  Vinterrious Hunt______________ 11.16
 
Men's 200m
3.     Trellas Forrest_______________ 20.85
8.     Jaden Gardner_______________ 21.66
10.  Beethoven Phanord___________ 21.71
12.  Preston Summage____________ 21.75
19.  Germari Wyre_______________ 22.11
35.  Joe Coleman________________ 22.53
 
Men's 400m
2.     Derrick Williams______________ 47.19
 
Men's 1500m
13.  Kendrick Matthews__________ 4:21.98
18.  Darrian Wells______________ 4:26.47
 
Men's 3000m
7.     Bryan Alvarez______________ 9:37.16
15.  Chemar McGhee___________ 10:43.45
 
Men's 400m Hurdles
8.     Desmyn McCall______________ 55.37
9.     Ethan Campbell______________ 55.51
 
Men's Shot Put
6.     Jadan Miller_______ 15.18m // 49-09.75
 
Men's Discus Throw
7.     Jadan Miller________ 45.97m // 150-10
 
Women's 100m
3.     Sariah Magee_______________ 11.79
8.     Taliya Spurlock______________ 12.21
33.  Brailey Stewart______________ 13.02
 
Women's 200m
5.     Myshell Hurse_______________ 24.77
6.     Taliya Spurlock______________ 24.95
14.  Kaitlynn Gates_______________ 25.72
33.  Brailey Stewart______________ 27.10
42.  Kayotric Taplin_______________ 27.51
 
Women's 400m
2.     Izayla Harris________________ 55.65
9.     Brianna Wilson______________ 58.56
11.  Jaleah Netter________________ 58.73
 
Women's 800m
27.  Kaylin White_______________ 2:41.22
 
Women's 1500m
12.  Erin Barr__________________ 5:08.31
22.  Lanise Chilton______________ 5:29.00
23.  Jasmine Robertson__________ 5:31.46
 
Women's 100m Hurdles
3.     Kayotric Taplin_______________ 14.08
7.     Kaitlynn Gates_______________ 14.42
11.  Kaylin White________________ 14.87
 
Women's 400m Hurdles
2.     Sanaa Parker______________ 1:02.21
 
Women's Long Jump
3.     Taylar Brown_____________ 5.51m // 18-01.00)
16.  Myah Knowles____________ 4.97m // 16-03.75)
18.  Zoe Adderly______________ 4.82m // 15-09.75
 
Women's Shot Put
23.  Destinee Lanham__________ 9.84m // 32-03.50
 
Women's Discus Throw
4.     Destinee Lanham___________ 41.83m // 137-03
 
Men's 4x100m Relay
2.     Phanord, Forrest, Coleman, Williams____________ 40.35
 
Men's 4x400m Relay
1.     Gardner, Williams, Summage, Forrest__________ 3:09.69
5.     Campbell, Wyre, Phanord, Matthews__________ 3:24.14
 
Women's 4x400m Relay
2.     Gray, Wilson, Parker, Harris_________________ 3:54.29
3.     Magee, Hurse, White, Netter_________________ 3:58.61