PEMBROKE, N.C. - The CIU women's track and field team dominated the Braves Classic hosted by NCAA Division II University of North Carolina Pembroke on Saturday.
Emma Johnson led the way for the Rams, winning the 100-meter dash (11.99), 200-meter dash (24.55, NAIA "A" Standard Qualifier), and 100 hurdles (14.79). Charlette Johnson and Trinyty Gregory also competed in the 100 meters, finishing second (12.31) and sixth (12.70), respectively. Johnson (fourth, 26.19, NCCAA Qualifier) and Gregory (sixth, 27.12, NCCAA Qualifier) joined Emma Johnson again in the 200 meters.
Ane' Peasley finished second in the 100 hurdles (16.20) behind Emma Johnson, while TaLayna Reed also placed in the top five with a fourth-place finish (17.66). Peasley (1:21.68) and Reed (1:13.59) continued their strong performances in the 400 hurdles.
The 4x100 relay team of Charlette Johnson, Morgan Johnson, and Gregory took first place and qualified for the NAIA "A" standard. Jordan Wray was the Rams' only competitor in the 400 meters, finishing seventh with a time of 1:06.19.
Rosemary Reed (fifth, 5:15.15) and Lydia Whillhite (5:20.17) competed in the 1500 meters.
In the field events, Gregory finished second in the long jump (5.50m), while Peasley leaped 4.94 meters (AAC Qualifier). CIU dominated the throws as Kloey Pickens won the shot put (11.51m), followed by Dazanni Hinton (third, 10.63m) and Acoya Hunt (10.44m). Coral Curry (9.77m) also represented the Rams in the shot put.
Hinton continued her success with a first-place finish in the discus (39.54m) and the hammer throw (46.21m). Acoya Hunt (fourth, 37.34m, personal record), Coral Curry (fifth, 34.59m), and Lillian Grumbles (sixth, 34.06m, NCCAA Qualifier) competed for CIU in the discus, while Curry (third, 42.00m), Pickens (fifth, 39.43m), Hannah Grace Sparks (sixth, 38.77m), and Grumbles (seventh, 34.94 meters, NCCAA Qualifier) joined Hinton in the hammer throw.
Morgan Johnson rounded out the Rams' performance in the field with a first-place finish in the javelin (30.50m, NCCAA Qualifier), her first throw over 30 meters. Bethany Rymer (third, 26.03) and Olivia Tanchak (14.39m) also competed in the javelin.
What Coach John Sparks is saying: "We had several first-place performances today, and several more qualified for the postseason in the upcoming AAC and NCAA Championships. Overall, it was a good meet."
Up Next: The Rams will travel to the upstate of South Carolina to compete in the Electric City Invite hosted by Anderson University on April. 12 and April. 13.
