BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The University of South Alabama track and field teams earned six individual victories as multiple student-athletes posted season-best results Friday at Samford's Alabama Track Challenge in Birmingham, Ala.

MEET INFORMATION
Event: Samford's Alabama Track Challenge 
Date: March 23
Host: Samford University
Site: Samford Track Complex
Results

NOTES AND RESULTS

Men's Field Events
-Andrew Allen finished second in the hammer throw event with a 60.71m (199-02.00) mark. Thomas Boyd earned third place with a season-best 56.77m (186-03.00) effort, currently the fourth-best in the conference standings. Jobi Finau rose from 10th to sixth in the league with a fourth-place, 53.89m (176-09.50) finish.

-Mobile native Cameron Stokes currently ranks 10th in the Sun Belt after posting a personal-best 52.73m (172-11.75) mark to place second in the javelin event.

-Boyd won the shot put event with a 16.48m (54-00.75) mark, surpassing his previous season high (15.43m; 50-07.25) by more than one meter and moving from seventh to third in the conference. Matt Weinhold took third place in the event with a 14.83m (48-07.75) throw.

-Sean Collins posted a season-high 5.30m (17-04.50) mark to win the pole vault event and claim the top spot in the conference standings.

-Weinhold won the discus event with a 48.15m (157-11.50) throw, while Finau placed third with a 45.64m (149-08.75) mark.

Women's Field Events

-Michaela Preachuk moved from third to second in the all-time Jaguar rankings with a personal-best 60.94m (199-11.00) mark in the hammer throw. The junior had previously claimed the Sun Belt Conference season-high mark with a 58.44m (191-09.00) effort at last weekend's Jaguar Classic. Michella Obijiaku placed fourth in the event with a 51.93m (170-04.25) throw.  

-Three Jaguars are among the top 10 in the league's javelin standings. Jessica Matthews placed second in the event and claimed fifth in the Sun Belt with a 41.46m (136-00.25) throw. Halee Thomas had a career-high 40.43m (132-07.50) mark to place third in the meet and seventh in the conference. Liz Bolden finished fourth in the event and climbed from 16th to 10th in the league with a 39.76m (130-05.25) mark.

-Megan James is third in the conference after a fourth-place, season-high 3.70m (12-01.50) pole vault performance. Caitlyn Dressler finished fifth in the event with a 3.55m (11-07.75) mark.  

-Taylor Dames won the high jump with a 1.65m (5-04.75) effort.

-Autavia Fluker placed second in the shot put with a 14.66m (48-01.00) throw. Obijiaku's season-best 13.79m (45-02.75) throw earned her third place in the event and fourth in the Sun Belt standings. Esherika Hawkins placed fourth in the event and sixth in the overall conference rankings with a 13.58m (44-06.50) throw.

Men's Running Events

-Thad Porter completed the 100m dash in 10.79 seconds – a personal-best – to place first among collegiate competitors and third overall.

-Jacob Johnson and Javen Jackson ran career-low times in the 400m hurdles events to claim first and third, respectively. Johnson's 53.51-second effort advanced him from fifth to second in the Sun Belt season rankings, while Jackson entered the league rankings at sixth with a time of 55.42 seconds.  

Women's Running Events

-Olivia Swan ran a season-best 14.72 seconds in the 100m hurdles to claim fifth place in the event. She placed second in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:03.41.

UP NEXT

USA Track & Field will compete in the Florida Relays in Gainesville, Fla. and Texas Relays in Austin, Texas. March 28-31.

QUOTES FROM COACH BRUESKE

On overall performance, competition, and preparation for next week... "There were some solid performances and areas we definitely need to improve upon. The meet had some very good competition. Next week will be a bigger challenge at Florida and Texas. We need to go back to work focused to get ready."

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).

Join the Finish Line Club, the track and field and cross country specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  All donations to the Finish Line Club go directly to support the South Alabama track and field/cross country programs.  For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/finishlineclub

—USA—