PEMBROKE, N.C. - CIU track & field battled cold and rain on Saturday as they took part in the Braves Classic hosted by UNC-Pembroke. With heavy rain all day and temps in the upper 40's, the Rams competed against NCAA DII programs from around the Carolinas'. 

Throws set the tone once again for the Rams on Saturday as Dazanni Hinton placed third in the women's hammer throw with a distance of 44.01m. Elsewhere in the event, Hannah Grace Sparks had her season-best mark of 36.03m, while Lillian Grumbles placed 11th with a distance of 31.05. Acoya Hunt collected her PR in the women's hammer, recording a 29.51m mark. 

On the men's side the Rams' found success in the same event as Deandre Leith placed third in the men's hammer with a throw of 40.91m. Colton Buchanan was perhaps the Rams' most notable performer as he qualified for the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) and set his PR in the hammer finishing fifth with a distance of 35.38m. 

On the track, Dario Laing excelled once again, taking home the top spot in the men's 110m hurdles with a time of 15.90. In the men's 400m Kenneth Simmons finished 11th out of 22 competitors with a time of 55.80. Irvin Sumter took part in the 100m dash collecting a top-ten finish time of 11.92. 

Trinyty Gregory competed in the women's 400m with a fourth-place time of 13.42.

Up Next: The Rams will head to the Electric City Invite on April. 14-15 in Anderson, S.C., hosted by Anderson University.