By: by Scott Lipsky
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Three more school records fell, and Mackenzie Howe won the 3000 Meter Run in her 2010 indoor track debut at the Gene Anderson UNC Invitational in Chapel Hill, N.C., on Friday.
In the team’s final meet before the Atlantic Sun Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, the Owls were looking to keep some of their athletes sharp while still working others who weren’t as active this season into prime condition.
Sprinters Victoria Jackson and Cynthia Davis provided what were some of the team’s most impressive performances. Coming into Friday, Jackson, a sophomore, held the 60 Meter Dash school record, running the event in a time of 7.86 seconds at the Niswonger Invitational on January 22. By the time KSU was heading home on Friday evening, Jackson had bettered that time in both her preliminary and final run, posting times of 7.83 and 7.80 seconds, respectively.
The freshman Davis, however, will now be inscribed in the record books, as she was able to run her preliminary heat in 7.79 to set the new school mark. However, her time of 7.81 seconds in the final heat placed her tenth in the event, while Jackson placed 8th with her 7.80 mark in the finals. The duo also did well in the 200 Meter Dash, with Davis coming in 7th with a 25.63 second mark and Jackson posting a 10th place finish in 25.88 seconds.
Howe, the 2009 A-Sun Indoor champion in the 3000 Meters, won what could be considered her signature event on Friday with a time of 10:03.98 in her first appearance of the indoor track season. The performance bettered her championship run of 10:10.47, and broke Patrina Hayes’ school record of 10:08.89 on a 200 meter track. Senior Erin Sutton finished fourth in the 42 runner event, finishing in a time of 10:27.99.
In the field events, four Owls posted runner-up finishes, with sophomore Suzzette Van-Lare’s 5.82 meter jump in the long jump (19-1.25) setting a new school record. Senior Jill Arthur placed fourth in the event, her 5.77 meter jump (18-11.25) breaking what was the school record in the long jump coming into the meet. Van-Lare also finished third in the triple jump (12.08m-39-07.75), with Arthur finishing fourth (12.07m 39-07.25).
Senior Jakia Ragland (1.68m-5-06.00), freshman Suzee Mills (12.22m 40-01.25), and junior Jessica Lumpkin (16.29m 53-05.50) finished second in the high jump, shot put, and weight throw, respectively.
The Owls have two weeks to prepare before traveling to East Tennessee State for the A-Sun Championships, February 26-27.
To see the full results from the Gene Anderson UNC Invitational, click on the Latest Meet Results link on the right sidebar.
