MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama outdoor track & field program will close out its home schedule Friday and Saturday at Jaguar Track as it hosts the South Alabama Invitational. This year's senior class will be recognized in a ceremony Friday at 5:55 p.m.   

Due to expected inclement weather Saturday, most events will take place Friday afternoon and evening beginning at 4:30 p.m. The hammer throw, high jump and long jump events will be held Saturday, beginning with the hammer throw at 9 a.m. 

MEET INFORMATION
Event: South Alabama Invitational 
Dates: April 6-7
Host: University of South Alabama
Site: Jaguar Track
Meet Information

FIELD (9)
Dillard, Jacksonville State, Mobile, Samford, South Alabama, Southern University at New Orleans, West Alabama, West Florida, William Carey

NOTES
Florida Relays 
-Michaela Preachuk was voted Sun Belt Conference Women's Field Athlete of the Week after setting a new school record in the hammer throw at the Florida Relays last weekend. A 61.50m (201-09.25) mark currently ranks first in the league and eighth in the NCAA Division I East Region standings.
-Autavia Fluker's personal-best 56.93m (186-09.25) hammer throw is the fourth-best in the conference this season and is tied for 36th in the NCAA Division I East Region rankings. 
-Angeline Smit posted a season-best 13.88m (45-06.50) shot put mark to move to fifth in the league. Michella Obijiaku also posted a season-high 13.84m (45-05.00) mark in the event. 
-Emilie Berge's career-best 5.72m (18-09.25) long jump is the eighth-longest measurement in the Sun Belt this season.
-Taylor Dames tied for second and Olivia Swan tied for fifth in the high jump with 1.70m (5-07.00) efforts. 
-Swan ran a career-best 1:00.99 in the women's 400m hurdles. The time is the third-fastest in school history, second-quickest in the Sun Belt season standings, and ranks among the top 50 in the NCAA Division I East Region rankings.  
-Migael Strydom and Warno Potgieter hold the first- and third-fastest times, respectively, in the Sun Belt men's 1,500m rankings. Strydom (3:49.52) and Potgieter (3:52.96) each recorded career-best marks in their first time running at that distance during the 2018 outdoor season. 
-Ben Rolader finished 10th in the men's 3,000m steeplechase, completing the event in 9:16.64 to take second in the league rankings. 

University of Mobile Invitational 
-Cierra Hedrick won the women's 100m dash (12.38 seconds) and 200m dash (25.56 seconds) at the University of Mobile Invitational Friday.
-Darnesha Harris claimed victories in the women's 100m hurdles (15.16 seconds, a personal best) and 400m hurdles (1:05.60) races. Jazmyne Tabb took second place in the 100m hurdles event with a time of 15.40 seconds.
-Javen Jackson won the men's 400m hurdles event in 54.60 seconds. The personal-best time is ninth in the conference standings.   
-Cindy von Ahlefeldt crossed the women's 800m finish line in 2:21.32 to claim the top spot in the event. Gillianne Sharp placed second after completing the race in 2:25.43.
-Kailee Kiminski ran the women's 1,500m race in 4:55.94 to win the event and finish 17 seconds ahead of the runner-up.
-Luke Fielding's season-low 4:06.08 time earned him first place in the men's 1,500m. Dylan Pausic finished second after crossing the line in 4:12.02. 
-Phillip Friedlander won the men's 3,000m event with a time of 9:28.74. 
-Jobi Finau earned wins in the men's hammer throw (52.05m, 170-09.00) and discus (44.82m, 147-05.00) events.  
-Meagan Hall posted a career-best 51.89m (170-07.25) hammer throw mark to win the women's event and place eighth in the league rankings. 
-Esherika Hawkins won the women's shot put (12.57m, 41-02.75) and earned second place in the discus (36.92m, 121-01.50). 
-Cameron Stokes won the men's javelin event by more than 11 meters and ranks eighth in the Sun Belt after a career-high 56.59m (185-07.75) throw.  
-Christina Wiggins earned the top spot in the women's pole vault event with a career-best 3.34m (10-11.50) mark. 
     
Texas Relays
-Niel Giliomee set a new career-high mark and moved up to second in the Sun Belt season rankings with a third-place, 5.35m (17-06.50) pole vault effort. It is the second-highest pole vault measurement in Jaguar history and is tied for the 14th-highest mark in the NCAA Division I standings.  

QUOTES FROM COACH BRUESKE
On performances at last weekend's meets… "Despite some bad weather conditions, we had some promising performances at Florida and Texas as well as from some of our athletes competing at home. We've moved most of the events to Friday in the hopes that the weather will cooperate and be more conducive to personal-best conditions."

On preparing for the last home meet of the season… "It's just part of the process. We're trying to get better every week. That's always the goal. We're training hard and if we can go out and compete well now, then that's a good sign for the future when we peak at the latter part of the season." 

On this year's senior class… "We've got a lot of seniors, a lot of great kids. Not just good athletes, but outstanding students too. They've done a lot for the program since they've been here and they're not done yet. We've still got some stuff for them to accomplish this year. It's been a great group of guys and gals." 

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

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