Troy University Athletics
Record-Setting Day at Coach O
4/25/2010 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
TROY, Ala. - With ominous skies over the entire state of Alabama on Saturday, the Troy University track and field program put on a show in the 12th annual Coach O Invitational, hosted at the Jesse H. Colley Track/Soccer Complex.
That didn't stop the athletes that were competing on the day, as the Trojans captured 16 total titles and 10 new track records were set in the process - five of those by Troy student-athletes.
“We had some fast times with some fast winds,” Troy assistant coach Chip Brundage said. “The horizontal jumps had great marks in the meet as well. Our athletes are looking great. We are ready to roll into North Texas in two weeks and compete at the Sun Belt Conference Championships.”
The much-anticipated race of the day came in the men's 4x100-meter relay. The Trojans team of Neko Freeman, Burke Leonce, Payton McGhee and Antonio McLeod narrowly missed out on the school record in the event; and in the process ran past the remainder of the field. The team finished just 0.04 seconds off the school record in crossing the line with a time of 39.90 seconds. They were followed across the line by Stillman College at 41.10 and by a host of Trojan football players with a time of 41.20 seconds.
Just one week after breaking her school record from last season in the hammer, senior Tiphanie Baker wasted little time in setting a higher standard in the event. This week, Baker broke her previous mark of 57.05 meters, by throwing a distance of 58.36 meters to easily win the opening competition of the meet.
Freshman Lizzie Clough continues to make a name for herself in the world of Sun Belt Conference javelin as she captured first place at the Coach O Invitational Saturday morning. The freshman finished with a distance of 41.70 meters, short of her personal best but good enough to win the event.
In the men's long jump, senior Lamontrey Stamper chalked up another title this season as he finished first with a jump of 7.39 meters. He followed that up with a another title, winning the triple jump just minutes later with a jump of 14.90 meters.
Freshman Veronica Bryant set a new personal best in the high jump competition en route to a first place finish on Saturday. The freshman finished with a jump of 1.68 meters, bettering her previous mark of 1.67 meters set earlier this season. The mark also ties three other former student-athletes for third on the all-time performance list. In the same event, senior Kapri Hockaday was able to finish third with a clearance of 1.63 meters.
Meanwhile, in the men's high jump competition, Larry Henry claimed the title with a clearance of 1.91 meters.
In the women's shot put competition, the Trojans captured the top three spots led by freshman Brynn Forsythe with a distance of 12.48 meters. She was followed by Nicole Studstill at 11.03 meters and Dee Richards at 10.41 meters.
In the men's javelin, freshman Matt Braswell set a new personal best in the event and set a new school record in the process. The freshman tossed the javelin a distance of 65.63 meters, breaking his previous personal best of 62.45 meters. He also broke the school record, held by Norman Austin of 64.78 meters (2008) by finishing second overall in the event.
Sophomore Mackenzie Howell finished third in the event with a throw of 62.23 meters, breaking his previous personal best in the event and moving up to third on the all-time list.
Latoya Ragland and Ariel Cavazos finished second and third overall in the long jump, as the pair finished behind former Trojan Agata Cichoszewska who was competing as an unattached athlete. Ragland finished with a distance of 5.87 meters, while Cavazos finished third with a new personal best jump of 5.65 meters.
While the pair was competing in the long jump, freshman Veronica Bryant was pushing for the triple jump championship at the Coach O meet. The freshman finished second to Cichoszewska with a personal best mark of 12.21 meters.
Freshman Eddy Lynn continued the big day in the field events for the Trojans, finishing second in the discus competition. He finished behind Turner Coggins, as he registered a throw of 44.29 meters
In the women's hammer competition, freshman Dee Richards set a new personal best competition, shattering her previous mark by nearly nine meters as she recorded a distance of 43.50 meters for an eighth place finish. She was not the only student-athlete to set a new personal best in the competition, as both Lauren Howell (42.62 meters) and Nicole Studstill (37.54 meters) reached the plateau.
Meanwhile, in the women's discus competition, freshman Shayla Smith set a new personal best of 34.49 meters - breaking her previous personal best of 33.80 meters set earlier this season.
Freshman Cody Bahrke narrowly missed his personal best in the hammer competition on the men's side when he finished fourth with a throw of 49.61 meters. His personal best is the third-best throw of all-time at the school and stands at 50.62 meters. In the men's competition, Lynn shattered his personal best in the competition with a throw of 41.79 meters, while Allan Mason tied his career mark with a throw of 42.96 meters.
After a record-setting day in the field competition, the Trojans track student-athletes had a lot to live up to.
And it started out with bang.
Freshman Enock Kirui ran for the first time this season in the 3000-meter steeplechase and walked away a winner. The freshman finished with a time of 9:31.30, narrowly missing out on the all-time performance list.
In the women's 4x100-meter relay, the Trojans finished second in the event and narrowly missed out on the championship as they finished with a time of 45.90 seconds. The team of Ja-Courteny Alexander, Ariel Cavazos, Simone Pugh and Latoya Ragland finished just 0.10 seconds behind the winning team from Alabama State University.
Meanwhile, in the women's 1500-meter run, the Trojans finished second and third in the event. Sylvia Chirchir finished second with a time of 5:02.10 - a new personal best - while junior Kelly Harrington finished third with a time of 5:03.20.
In the women's 100-meter hurdles, the top two finishers for the Trojans both broke the school record but ultimately it was Ragland walking away with a new personal best and a school record - crossing the line in a time of 13.10 seconds. The time shattered the previous school record of 13.41 seconds. The new second-best time in school history belongs to Naquita Rowe as she finished second overall on Saturday with a time of 13.20 seconds.
But the Trojans were not done claiming titles on Saturday, as senior Burke Leonce added an individual title to go along with his relay title. The senior finished first overall in the 400-meters with a time of 48.50 seconds - just off his personal best time.
In the women's 100-meter dash, a pair of Trojans were able to come in second and third - trailing only former Trojan and USA team member Tawanna Meadows. Freshman Ja-Courteny Alexander, running the 100-meters for the first time in a few weeks, finished second with a time of 11.20 seconds - breaking the previous school record held by Tawanna Meadows. She was followed across the line by Simone Pugh in a time of 11.40 seconds for a third-place finish.
With the wind under five miles per hour, sophomore Payton McGhee ran the fastest time in school history. He broke the previous mark held by Reginald McCray in 1988, by running a time of 10.00 seconds.
Graduate athlete Jeff Rhodes returned to form for the Trojans on Saturday, capturing the title in the 800 meters at the meet. Rhodes finished less than a second ahead of his opponents from Alabama State, crossing the line in a time of 1:54.80.
In the men's 400-meter hurdles, freshman O'Jike Maat finished third overall in the event with a time of 57.50 seconds. Meanwhile, in the women's 200-meter dash, Alexander and Pugh finished second and third again in a sprint competition to Meadows. Alexander finished with a time of 23.60 seconds - breaking her previous personal best - to move up to second all-time on the school's all-time list. Meanwhile, Pugh finished third overall with a time of 24.70 seconds.
Antonio McLeod narrowly missed out on a school record in the 200-meter dash as he finished with a time of 20.60 seconds, capturing the title in the event. He missed out on the school record by just 0.18 seconds, which was set by McCray in 1988. Freshman Neko Freeman finished thir in the event with a time of 20.90 seconds.
In the men's 3000-meter run, senior Jeremy Moujoodi finished second overall in the event with a time of 8:42.00. He finished second to a track record in the event.
The Trojans sent the meet out the way they started it, with a victory.
The 4x400-meter relay team of Veronica Bryant, Ariel Cavazos, Kapri Hockaday and Naquita Rowe claimed the title in the event with a time of 3:53.90, narrowly missing out on the school's all-time performance list.
The Trojans will now take a couple of weeks to prepare for the Sun Belt Outdoor Track and Field Championships which begin May 7 in Denton.
That didn't stop the athletes that were competing on the day, as the Trojans captured 16 total titles and 10 new track records were set in the process - five of those by Troy student-athletes.
“We had some fast times with some fast winds,” Troy assistant coach Chip Brundage said. “The horizontal jumps had great marks in the meet as well. Our athletes are looking great. We are ready to roll into North Texas in two weeks and compete at the Sun Belt Conference Championships.”
The much-anticipated race of the day came in the men's 4x100-meter relay. The Trojans team of Neko Freeman, Burke Leonce, Payton McGhee and Antonio McLeod narrowly missed out on the school record in the event; and in the process ran past the remainder of the field. The team finished just 0.04 seconds off the school record in crossing the line with a time of 39.90 seconds. They were followed across the line by Stillman College at 41.10 and by a host of Trojan football players with a time of 41.20 seconds.
Just one week after breaking her school record from last season in the hammer, senior Tiphanie Baker wasted little time in setting a higher standard in the event. This week, Baker broke her previous mark of 57.05 meters, by throwing a distance of 58.36 meters to easily win the opening competition of the meet.
Freshman Lizzie Clough continues to make a name for herself in the world of Sun Belt Conference javelin as she captured first place at the Coach O Invitational Saturday morning. The freshman finished with a distance of 41.70 meters, short of her personal best but good enough to win the event.
In the men's long jump, senior Lamontrey Stamper chalked up another title this season as he finished first with a jump of 7.39 meters. He followed that up with a another title, winning the triple jump just minutes later with a jump of 14.90 meters.
Freshman Veronica Bryant set a new personal best in the high jump competition en route to a first place finish on Saturday. The freshman finished with a jump of 1.68 meters, bettering her previous mark of 1.67 meters set earlier this season. The mark also ties three other former student-athletes for third on the all-time performance list. In the same event, senior Kapri Hockaday was able to finish third with a clearance of 1.63 meters.
Meanwhile, in the men's high jump competition, Larry Henry claimed the title with a clearance of 1.91 meters.
In the women's shot put competition, the Trojans captured the top three spots led by freshman Brynn Forsythe with a distance of 12.48 meters. She was followed by Nicole Studstill at 11.03 meters and Dee Richards at 10.41 meters.
In the men's javelin, freshman Matt Braswell set a new personal best in the event and set a new school record in the process. The freshman tossed the javelin a distance of 65.63 meters, breaking his previous personal best of 62.45 meters. He also broke the school record, held by Norman Austin of 64.78 meters (2008) by finishing second overall in the event.
Sophomore Mackenzie Howell finished third in the event with a throw of 62.23 meters, breaking his previous personal best in the event and moving up to third on the all-time list.
Latoya Ragland and Ariel Cavazos finished second and third overall in the long jump, as the pair finished behind former Trojan Agata Cichoszewska who was competing as an unattached athlete. Ragland finished with a distance of 5.87 meters, while Cavazos finished third with a new personal best jump of 5.65 meters.
While the pair was competing in the long jump, freshman Veronica Bryant was pushing for the triple jump championship at the Coach O meet. The freshman finished second to Cichoszewska with a personal best mark of 12.21 meters.
Freshman Eddy Lynn continued the big day in the field events for the Trojans, finishing second in the discus competition. He finished behind Turner Coggins, as he registered a throw of 44.29 meters
In the women's hammer competition, freshman Dee Richards set a new personal best competition, shattering her previous mark by nearly nine meters as she recorded a distance of 43.50 meters for an eighth place finish. She was not the only student-athlete to set a new personal best in the competition, as both Lauren Howell (42.62 meters) and Nicole Studstill (37.54 meters) reached the plateau.
Meanwhile, in the women's discus competition, freshman Shayla Smith set a new personal best of 34.49 meters - breaking her previous personal best of 33.80 meters set earlier this season.
Freshman Cody Bahrke narrowly missed his personal best in the hammer competition on the men's side when he finished fourth with a throw of 49.61 meters. His personal best is the third-best throw of all-time at the school and stands at 50.62 meters. In the men's competition, Lynn shattered his personal best in the competition with a throw of 41.79 meters, while Allan Mason tied his career mark with a throw of 42.96 meters.
After a record-setting day in the field competition, the Trojans track student-athletes had a lot to live up to.
And it started out with bang.
Freshman Enock Kirui ran for the first time this season in the 3000-meter steeplechase and walked away a winner. The freshman finished with a time of 9:31.30, narrowly missing out on the all-time performance list.
In the women's 4x100-meter relay, the Trojans finished second in the event and narrowly missed out on the championship as they finished with a time of 45.90 seconds. The team of Ja-Courteny Alexander, Ariel Cavazos, Simone Pugh and Latoya Ragland finished just 0.10 seconds behind the winning team from Alabama State University.
Meanwhile, in the women's 1500-meter run, the Trojans finished second and third in the event. Sylvia Chirchir finished second with a time of 5:02.10 - a new personal best - while junior Kelly Harrington finished third with a time of 5:03.20.
In the women's 100-meter hurdles, the top two finishers for the Trojans both broke the school record but ultimately it was Ragland walking away with a new personal best and a school record - crossing the line in a time of 13.10 seconds. The time shattered the previous school record of 13.41 seconds. The new second-best time in school history belongs to Naquita Rowe as she finished second overall on Saturday with a time of 13.20 seconds.
But the Trojans were not done claiming titles on Saturday, as senior Burke Leonce added an individual title to go along with his relay title. The senior finished first overall in the 400-meters with a time of 48.50 seconds - just off his personal best time.
In the women's 100-meter dash, a pair of Trojans were able to come in second and third - trailing only former Trojan and USA team member Tawanna Meadows. Freshman Ja-Courteny Alexander, running the 100-meters for the first time in a few weeks, finished second with a time of 11.20 seconds - breaking the previous school record held by Tawanna Meadows. She was followed across the line by Simone Pugh in a time of 11.40 seconds for a third-place finish.
With the wind under five miles per hour, sophomore Payton McGhee ran the fastest time in school history. He broke the previous mark held by Reginald McCray in 1988, by running a time of 10.00 seconds.
Graduate athlete Jeff Rhodes returned to form for the Trojans on Saturday, capturing the title in the 800 meters at the meet. Rhodes finished less than a second ahead of his opponents from Alabama State, crossing the line in a time of 1:54.80.
In the men's 400-meter hurdles, freshman O'Jike Maat finished third overall in the event with a time of 57.50 seconds. Meanwhile, in the women's 200-meter dash, Alexander and Pugh finished second and third again in a sprint competition to Meadows. Alexander finished with a time of 23.60 seconds - breaking her previous personal best - to move up to second all-time on the school's all-time list. Meanwhile, Pugh finished third overall with a time of 24.70 seconds.
Antonio McLeod narrowly missed out on a school record in the 200-meter dash as he finished with a time of 20.60 seconds, capturing the title in the event. He missed out on the school record by just 0.18 seconds, which was set by McCray in 1988. Freshman Neko Freeman finished thir in the event with a time of 20.90 seconds.
In the men's 3000-meter run, senior Jeremy Moujoodi finished second overall in the event with a time of 8:42.00. He finished second to a track record in the event.
The Trojans sent the meet out the way they started it, with a victory.
The 4x400-meter relay team of Veronica Bryant, Ariel Cavazos, Kapri Hockaday and Naquita Rowe claimed the title in the event with a time of 3:53.90, narrowly missing out on the school's all-time performance list.
The Trojans will now take a couple of weeks to prepare for the Sun Belt Outdoor Track and Field Championships which begin May 7 in Denton.
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