HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The University of South Alabama track and field teams closed the regular season with strong performances Friday and Saturday at the Southern Miss Open.
 
Sophomore Darnesha Harris recorded career-best finishes in the 100m hurdles (14.35 seconds) and 400m hurdles (1:02.67). Her 400m hurdles time ranks fifth in the Sun Belt Conference and seventh in the all-time USA records.
 
MEET INFORMATION
Event: Southern Miss Open
Dates: April 26-27
Host: Southern Miss
Site: Marshall Bell Track
Results 
 
NOTES
-Sean Collins moved to first in the Sun Belt Conference standings and 11th in the NCAA with a first-place, 5.44m (17-10.25) pole vault. Chris Taylor tied a season-best (4.92m, 16-01.75) and Nick Napier cleared 4.47m (14-08.00) to finish second and third, respectively.
-Autavia Fluker won the women's hammer throw (58.25m, 191-01.25) and shot put (15.22m, 49-11.25) contests.
-Halee Thomas took the top spot in the women's javelin event with a 44.67m (146-06.50) throw, while Liz Bolden's 38.64m (126-09.25) mark was good for third place.
-Onesmus Kemboi turned in a personal-best men's 3,000m performance, a first-place, 8:32.22 effort. Andonet Cheruiyot ran the fastest women's 3,000m of the day, crossing the line in 10:21.20. 
-Olivia Swan took second place and remains fourth in the Sun Belt women's 400m hurdles standings with a season-best time of 1:01.61. Taylor Dames and Swan recorded high jump marks of 1.70m (5-07.00) and finished second and third, respectively, based on attempts.
-Thomas Boyd won the men's hammer throw with a 56.38m (184-11.50) effort and placed second in the shot put (15.65m, 51-04.25). Ethan Boyd's 56.09m (184-00.25) hammer throw earned the senior a second-place finish. 
-Angeline Smit earned top-five finishes in two events. The sophomore recorded a 13.89m (45-07.00) shot put mark (second) and a 44.46m (145-10.25) discus throw (fifth).
-Hunter Appling ran the men's 110m hurdles in 14.35 seconds to take third place. Javen Jackson completed the 400m hurdles in 53.99 seconds and Jacob Johnson covered the distance in 57.26 seconds to finish third and fifth, respectively; Hunter Peters had a personal-best race, finishing in 1:00.48.
-Jessie Droogsma placed third and Esherika Hawkins fifth in the women's hammer throw with efforts of 51.26m (168-02.00) and 47.88m (157-01.00), respectively. Hawkins also recorded a season-best 13.19m (43-03.25) shot put toss.
-Jobi Finau had a season-best performance in the men's hammer throw, 53.80m (176-06.00), to place fourth. The senior's 44.78m (146-10.75) discus throw took fifth place in the event.
-Micayah Upshaw finished fourth in the women's triple jump with a career-long 11.55m (37-10.75) mark.
-Cierra Hedrick recorded times of 11.94 seconds and 24.73 seconds, respectively, for fifth-place finishes in both the 100m and 200m. Four Jaguars ran season-best 100m races: Hedrick and Elysa Griffin on the women's side and Keith Davis and Alex Elam on the men's side. 
-Hanna-Mai Vaikla's personal-best 13.34m (43-09.25) shot put throw was good for fifth place. She also recorded a career-best high jump mark of 1.55m (5-01.00).
-USA's 4 x 100m relay teams had top-five finishes and season-best efforts. The men finished second with a time of 41.27 seconds, while the women took fifth place in 48.95 seconds.
 
UP NEXT
The Jaguars will travel to Jonesboro, Ark., May 10-12 for the Sun Belt Outdoor Conference Championships.
 
QUOTES FROM COACH BRUESKE
On the Southern Miss Open: "This meet helped us identify some areas we need to work on as we fine tune our preparations for the Sun Belt Conference Championships."
 
On Collins: "Sean has battled with injury all season, but he is a winner and does not give up. It is great to see him fight his way back to the top."
 
On Harris: "It is nice to see Harris improving so much this year. If she continues, she will be a factor for us in the league."
 
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—