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More Hawks, Lady Hawks qualify for NAIA Nationals at UAB Invite
By Matt Green
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Shorter’s men and women’s track and field teams continued their winter schedules on Thursday and Friday by competing in the UAB Blazer Invite hosted by the University of Alabama-Birmingham at the Birmingham Crossplex Arena.
Both the Hawks and Lady Hawks witnessed several athletes improve their qualifying times and national ranks while others impressed in their collegiate debuts. The invitational included NCAA Division schools such as Ole Miss, South Carolina, Jacksonville, Alabama State, Florida A&M, Louisiana Tech, Memphis, Georgia State and Kennesaw State.
For the men, Allen Huntley placed eighth in the 60 meter dash (6.86) and seventh in the 200 meter dash (21.96). His time in the 200 led the NAIA as of Friday night and bettered his national time in the event.
Nigel Talton qualified for the national indoor meet by placing ninth in the 60 meters in a time of 6.89. Adika Smith, running his first race for Shorter since transferring from Kennesaw State, placed 23rd in the 200 (22.44).
Shorter had two athletes place in the 400 – Randy Dameron finished fourth in an NAIA-leading time of 48.40 and Malik Fair crossed the line in 10th place (50.08).
Eliud Ng’etich finished fourth in the 800 (1:56.53) and Trebor Holmes improved upon his national qualifying time in the 60 meter hurdles, running an 8.22 in the prelims to wrap up Shorter’s running events on the men’s side.
In the field, Sadrac Cherfils posted a leap of 47 feet, 4.25 inches to place fourth in the triple jump. Robert Harvey, competing in his first event of the season, threw 50 feet in the shot put and Daniel Alexis established Shorter’s first record in the weight throw, posting a throw of 47 feet, 8 inches in his first meet.
On the women’s side, eight individuals and two relay teams shined in Birmingham.
Porsche Holden had the best all-around day for the Lady Hawks, qualifying for the indoor national meet by running 9.14 in the 60 meter hurdles prelims and qualifying for nationals in the long jump with a leap of 17 feet, 10.75 inches. The UAB Invite was Holden’s Shorter debut.
Ayana Walker improved on her national time in the 400 by placing fifth in a time of 57.93 while Porsche Holden’s sister, Kennisha Holden, ran to a sixth place finish in the same event, crossing the line in 58.26. Ashlie Stewartson, working back from an injury, placed 10th in the 400 meter run (58.96) – both Kennisha Holden and Stewartson have qualified for nationals in the event.
Sarah Massey placed 23rd in the 800 meter run (2:25.43) while Shea Spicher finished 12th in the 3,000 meter run (10:43).
Dominique Woods jumped 37 feet, 11.25 inches in the triple jump, making Shorter 1-2 in the NAIA in both the long and triple jump.
Chelsea Overby threw a school record 36 feet, 4.25 inches in the shot put in her collegiate debut.
In the relays, Shorter’s Lady Hawks qualified for nationals in both the 4x400 meter relay and the distance medley relay.
Walker, Stewartson, Kennisha Holden and Ashley Ballard ran to a fourth place finish in the 4x400, turning in a time of 3:49.83, which ranks No. 1 in the NAIA this season.
Spicher, Mia Jones, Kennisha Holden and Massey finished fifth in the DMR. Their time of 12:39.36 also ranks No. 1 so far this season in the NAIA.
Shorter will return to the track on Jan. 20 and 21 as it travels to Bloomington, Ind., for the Gladstein Invitational hosted by Indiana University.
