MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama track and field teams competed in Texas, Florida, and Mississippi this week.
 
Three Jaguars set new school records in their respective events: Emilie Berge (women's heptathlon), Michaela Preachuk (women's hammer throw) and Christian Ellis (men's triple jump). Berge's 5,718 point total is a new Sun Belt Conference record and is the second-best total in the country this season.

MEET INFORMATION
Event: 92nd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays
Dates: March 27-30
Host: Texas
Site: Mike A. Myers Stadium
Results

NOTES
-Berge finished second in the high jump with a 1.78m (5-10.00) mark Wednesday and ranked sixth overall after four heptathlon events. The junior took the runner-up spot with a personal-best long jump mark of 5.96m (19-06.50), the eighth-longest in USA program history and the second-best in the league this season.
-Preachuk's record-setting hammer throw of 61.59m (202-00.75) came on her third attempt. The senior leads the conference and ranks 12th in the NCAA Division I East standings.
-Sean Collins tied for third in the men's pole vault with a 5.30m (17-04.50) height that is second on the league and regional performance lists.
 
MEET INFORMATION
Event: 2019 Pepsi Florida Relays
Dates: March 28-30
Host: Florida
Site: James G. Pressly Stadium, Percy Beard Track
Results
 
NOTES
-Ellis shattered the Jaguar triple jump record previously set by Kelvin Sykes in 1984. His 15.75m (51-08.25) mark is the fifth-longest in the nation.
-Autavia Fluker moved to third in USA program history with a 60.56m (198-08.25) hammer throw that won the event and is among the top 15 in the NCAA Division I East region.
-Carolien Millenaar and Silje Lindstad are first and second, respectively, in the Sun Belt 3,000m steeplechase standings. Millenaar set the school record last year and Lindstad's time of 11:04.34 ranks second on the list.
-Hunter Appling ran the men's 110m hurdles in 14.19 seconds, the fourth-best time in program history and the second-best in the conference.
-Andonet Cheruiyot's 17:26.28 effort in the women's 5,000m is second in the Sun Belt this season and sixth in the all-time USA records. Fellow Jaguar Onesmus Kemboi recorded a 14:40.72 time in the men's 5,000m which is also the second-fastest in the league.
-Javen Jackson is fourth in the conference with a men's 400m hurdles time of 53.95 seconds. The junior was part of the men's 4 x 400m relay team which ran a season-best 3:16.22.
 
MEET INFORMATION
Event: Southern Miss Invitational
Dates: March 29-30
Host: Southern Miss
Site: Marshall Bell Track
Results
 
NOTES
-Hanna-Mai Vaikla picked up a women's javelin win with a 48.42m (158-10.25) throw that tied for second in the USA records and is among the top 15 marks in the NCAA Division I East Region. The sophomore had a 5.40m (17-08.50) mark to finish third in the long jump.
-Thomas Boyd's 58.44m (191-08.75) hammer throw gave him the victory in the men's event and moved the senior to ninth in the school record books. Ethan Boyd finished second with a season-best 56.11m (184-01.00) effort.
-Jobi Finau won the men's discus event with a 47.38m (155-05.25) throw. The senior took third place in the men's hammer throw after recording a season-best 51.68m (169-06.50) mark.
-Jessie Droogsma placed second in the women's hammer throw with a season-best 51.37m (168-06.25) toss. She picked up another top-five finish with a 41.72m (136-10.50) discus throw.
-Esherika Hawkins had top-five performances in the hammer throw (48.42m, 158-10.25) and discus (40.38m, 132-05.75).
-Larry Lombard took second place in the men's 800m after crossing the line in 1:54.04.
-Graham Collins recorded a personal-best 1.88m (6-02.00) high jump mark.
-Cierra Hedrick ran the women's 200m in 25.38 seconds to finish fourth.
-Micayah Upshaw (long jump), Halee Thomas (hammer) and Angeline Smit (shot put) recorded top-three finishes in their respective women's events. Upshaw and Thomas had personal-best performances.
 
UP NEXT
The Jaguars will compete in Auburn's Tiger Track Classic April 5-6.

QUOTES FROM COACH BRUESKE
On the weekend's records: "We are starting to have some athletes compete at a pretty high level. We had three school records set this week. Berge is beginning to establish herself as one of the top heptathletes in the NCAA, as her performance at Texas clearly demonstrated. Preachuk had a clutch performance at Texas also. I think she gained some confidence and we know that she can go considerably farther. Ellis has been a great addition to the men's team. Most of the field event records have been broken in the past few years, but that triple jump record has been lingering around for about 35 years. It was great to see Ellis get it."
 
On the Florida Relays: "We had numerous high-level performances. I think freshman Hunter Appling has qualified for the USATF Junior Nationals in the 110m hurdles. Fluker has moved to third on the school's all-time list in the hammer. Vaikla is now tied for the second-longest javelin throw in school history. It was great to see Cheruiyot run a solid early-season mark in the 5,000m."
 
On the Southern Miss Invitational: "The weather was not great at Southern Miss, but we still managed some good performances."
 
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. 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—