By: by Emily Diekelmann
Day One Results
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn- Completing day one of the Atlantic Sun Indoor Championship competition, the Kennesaw State women’s track and field team currently sits in a tie for third place with ETSU. Leading the overall standings is reining champion Jacksonville who is going for a sixth straight A-Sun Indoor title.
“Overall we had a very strong performance today,” head track and field coach Andy Eggerth said. “We had a lot of athletes step up across the board. Athletes are performing well and we are really looking forward to tomorrow and the finals in all of the running events. Naomi competed in five events for the pentathlon then came back in the 60 hurdles to qualify so she had a fantastic day.”
Beginning the day with the pentathlon for the women, Naomi Mack set a new personal record scoring 3,386 points, good enough for second place. She finished first in both the 60 meter hurdles and 800 meter run which also gave her new personal records in both, respectively. Mack wasn’t done after the pentathlon, competing in the 60 meter hurdles preliminary race. Her time of 9.16 seconds qualified her for the finals on Saturday.
Competing in her final indoor championship, Mackenzie Howe still proved she is a force to be reckoned with, finishing first in the 3,000 meter race. Her time of 9:53.94 beat her time from last season’s indoor championships by 10 seconds. Howe isn’t done as she has another chance for conference glory on Saturday in the 5,000 meter contest.
Looking to the field events, Michelle Quimby finished fifth in the pole vault, clearing a top height of 1.60 meters. Chiquita Hawthorne and Jessica Lumpkin, in their final indoor meet, finished seventh and eighth, respectively in shot put.
The competition continues Saturday with the finals in both the 60 meter dash and 60 meter hurdles. Cynthia Davis and Victoria Jackson will be running for the Owls in the 60 meter dash. Mack and Naquia Williams are on tap for the 60 meter hurdles final.
Finishing up the final events Saturday, the day starts off with the weight throw and pole vault at 11:30 a.m. and concludes with the women’s 4x4 relay later that afternoon.
