Historic Weekend Recap

20.20!

(Nick Gray-Ohio State)

We have now made it to the middle of the regular season. There were quite a few impressive times that were posted this weekend that clear up the national picture. The team race is still unclear since there are high level athletes coming back from injury or have yet to run their primary race. No national records this weekend but one impressive school record was broken.

On that school record note let us tip our hats to Nick Gray of Ohio State. This past weekend at the University of South Carolina the talented senior broke two school records including one held by the legendary Jesse Owens. In the 100 he broke the school record held by Jones clocking in a runner-up finish 10.17. He then later won the 200-meter dash with a new school record a national leading mark of 20.20. Owens held the school record for 80 years making the feat more impressive.

The sprinter that defeated Gray in the 100 garnered the top time in the NCAA, 10.03. It was senior Demek Kemp from South Carolina State. He is another star sprinter from a university that it is having a great year. Kemp won the USATF Indoor Championship this year in the 60 meter dash skipping the NCAA Championship. With a USATF title under his belt and a national leading time of 10.03 it is clear a contender for the post season.

Quincy Hall of South Carolina was at the same meet on his home track and he too decided to set the track a blaze. The junior transfer ran a world leading time of 44.53 to win the 400. Hall transferred from junior college to South Carolina to compete for legendary hurdles coach Curtis Frye in the 400 hurdles. Hall may be better suited for the open 400 with a time that impressive.

Another impressive time at South Carolina was senior Isaiah Moore. His wind legal time of 13.39 in the preliminaries was truly just a warm up. In the finals he clocked a national leading wind-aided time of 13.25. His wind-aided time is still legal per NCAA rules but not under IAAF regulations. The senior has now put his hat in the ring to be considered a contender. Grant Holloway will have his hands full with two conference foes.

South Carolina clearly held the meet of the weekend. Alabama State junior Charminique Hackney had herself a weekend. Hackney garnered the top marks in the 100 and 200 with times of 11.20 and 22.95. Alabama State is another HBCU that on the rise developing high level sprinters. Hackney’s times prove that she will be a threat to score at the national meet.

In the women’s 400 Wadeline Jonathas of South Carolina had quite the meet on her home track. She finished second in the 400 but tops among collegians with her time of 51.56. Jonathas also ran a 49 split anchor leg in the 4x400 relay proving the resurgence of women’s sprinting for South Carolina is happening this year. The South Carolina women have three athletes currently ranked in the top eight in the country.

Nia Akins of Penn ran impressive race this past indoor season at the NCAA Indoor Championship by nearly almost winning the title. She opened her outdoor season this past weekend at the Tennessee Relays against a strong field. The junior came out on top with a time of 2:03.76 and had the top time of the weekend. Her mark now ranks her fourth in the NCAA.

We were treated to two new number one marks in the long jump on both the men’s and women’s side. LSU sophomore JuVaughn Harrison is the schools star high jumper and he also is proving his worth in the long jump. His mark of 26 feet 9 ¾ is an impressive number one mark at this point in the season. LSU has been quiet in the jumps in the past few years and this season there clearly is a resurgence. Sarea Alexander likewise had an impressive mark in the women’s long jump. The senior from Incarnate Word leaped to mark of 21 feet 8 inches to tie the number one mark in the nation but her mark is the national leading mark without wind assistance.

The shot put also went through a change this weekend. Samantha Noenning continues to be a bright star for Arizona State. The school that has been bringing the heat in the throws event has another talent in this young lady. The sophomore launched the shot put to 58-5 ¼ at UC San Diego. She beat a quality field including a few professionals to win the competition. Jordan Geist of Arizona surpassed the 70-foot mark at the same meet. The talented sophomore overtook Payton Otterdahl with the only 70-foot mark of the season winning in 70-10. He too beat a few professionals and a quality collegiate field on his way to victory.

RELAY OF THE WEEK

LSU men’s 4x400 relay ran an impressive race at the Hurricane Invitational. Their time of 3:02.88 is the new number one time in the NCAA. LSU has had an impressive past few weeks and have justified their ranking as a contender for the team title.