Notre Dame Meyo Invitational Results

SOUTH BEND, Ind., - The University of South Alabama track and field teams brought quality performances to Notre Dame's Loftus Sports Center on the second day of the 20th Meyo Invitational, Saturday. Another NCAA provisional time and two new school records were on the business agenda, after Friday evening's top finishes by Nicole Knox and Micah Tirop.

The men's team came into the weekend ranked 20th by both the United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) and Trackwire 25 Power Rankings.

The women's team hoped to join their compatriots and junior Clarisse Moh helped lead the way.  In the 800m, the Paris, France native ran an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 2:08.92.  The time is the fastest ever by Jaguar on an oversized (more than 200m) track.  Bibiche Mankatu ran a time of 2:09 on a 200m track, holding the women's best mark since 2002.

Moh becomes the second female athlete to attain a provisional standard for the collegiate nationals.  Senior Ajoke Odumosu notched the minimum inclusion mark in the 400m at the Razorback Invitational on Jan. 20 (54.14).

In her second year as a Jag, Moh, added to her stellar day by posting an indoor-best and winning time of 55.09 in the 400m.  She outpaced Odumosu, the reigning SBC Indoor champion in the event, who ran 55.14 for second place.

Oluwagbenga Awoleye finished fourth in a very fast men's 400m final where first and fourth places were separated by just 0.25sec. The Jag newcomer was timed in 47.43, a new record, surpassing the oversized-track mark LaRonious Reddix set here in 2006 of 47.71 and the 200m-track record Anthony Murphy set in 2005 of 47.77.  Awoleye's time was 0.18sec from the NCAA provisional requirement for a track of this size (320 meters).

The men's squad got another provisional time out of senior Vincent Rono.  For the third consecutive week, Rono ran under the standard in the 3000m with Saturday's ninth place run of 8:00.88.  Finishing 16th in that race was fellow classmate Tonny Okello, clocking 8:14.18.

Christophe DuMee posted a personal record time in the 60m hurdles.  After dropping an 8.31 in the preliminary round, the junior ran 8.17 in a 10th place showing in the finals, besting his previous best of 8.28 set last season.

Harry Larubi just missed the 800m provisional for the second week.  The senior ran 1:50.98, 1.02sec off the NCAA required time, but finished 10th overall.

SBC track Performer of the Week, Ahmed Awesu finished sixth in the 60m finals with a time of 6.87.  Gary Lambert II was a hundredth of a second of the personal best he set at Arkansas, clocking 7.10, 14th fastest in the prelims.  The sophomore placed 18th in the 200m, debuting in the event with a time of 22.93.

In the field, this week's SBC Performer of the Week, Erin Kinnear, finished in a tie for eighth place, clearing 3.70m (12' 1.50") in the pole vault.  Former McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Ala.) standout, Emily Sawyer was 16th (3.40m/11 1.75").  Courtney Dortch, a LeFlore HS (Mobile) graduate, threw 12.86m (42' 2.50") in the shot put, good for 19th overall.  Former Davidson running back, Michael Bagby added an indoor-best 13.70m (44' 11.50") triple jump, 16th among all male participants in the event.