BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – University of South Alabama track and field's Emilie Berge, in her collegiate debut, picked up her first career win in the pentathlon Thursday afternoon at the Samford Stand Alone Multi held at the Birmingham Crossplex.

Senior Berron Tyson placed fifth in the heptathlon leading his teammate Chris Taylor, who finished eighth.

"We had a good first meet," assistant coach Aaron James said. "We had some student-athletes get a couple personal records. We have some events we've got to do some work on." 

Berge's overall score of 3,923 places her second on the Jaguars' all-time performance list in the pentathlon. The freshman finished 100-plus points ahead of Sarah Goodale of Vanderbilt who placed second in the event.  Berge recorded over 700 points in four of the five events and her was highlighted by a 927 score in the 60m-hurdle after registering a time of 8.92. Berge also recorded 830 points in the high jump clearing 1.68m.

"It was really cool for her to get her first win," James said. "She's not that far off the school record. I was really impressed with how well she ran the 800 after training over the Christmas break. She did well, and we're excited about that."

Tyson scored 877 points in the men's 60m hurdles, crossing the finish line at 8.43 seconds for a personal record, and added 833 more points to his final score in the 60m with a time of 7.14 seconds. The lone Jaguar upperclassman earned a score of 743 in the long jump with a 6.70 mark. Tyson finished the day with a total of 4,470 points.

Taylor ended the day with a score of 4,315. The sophomore's performance was highlighted by a 804 point pole vault mark, clearing 4.65m. Taylor also outscored his teammate in the 1000m with a time of 3:12.77 to record 545 points in the event. Taylor set his own personal record in the 60m hurdles (8.98s) and shot put (9.69m). 

"It was a great learning experience for both of them for their first heptathlon," James said. "They did a good job, but we have to get better in some areas. We'll just have to work on them." 

South Alabama's other two sophomore representatives Olivia Swan and Taylor Young finished in 16th and 18th place in the pentathlon, respectively, separated by 674 points.

"I thought Taylor [Young] did a really nice job in the hurdles," James said. "She showed a of character after she had a really rough high jump, but she finished it with a really great attitude. That will help in the long run. Swan had a really great jump in the long jump that barely fouled, so she just trying to get a mark on her third jump just to score points. She ran a good 800m, which that's something we've really been training for. Overall, I saw some really positive things, but there's some we will need to work on. It's shaping up to be a good season." 

Swan's highest score of 759 came in the high jump clearing 1.62m and in the 800m recording a 1:39.46 time for 579 points. Young's 9.11 time for the 60m hurdles was her best score of the meet, as well as a personal best, to gain 887 points. Taylor did not record a score in one of the five events – the high jump – which resulted in an overall 2319 score.

South Alabama will return to action with their first full-squad meet of the season on Friday at the Vanderbilt Invitational slated to start at 4 p.m.   

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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