Track and Field Concludes Regular Season with Strong Outing at East Coast RelaysTrack and Field Concludes Regular Season with Strong Outing at East Coast Relays

Track and Field Concludes Regular Season with Strong Outing at East Coast Relays

by Alex Clough
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JACKSONVILLE, Florida - A strong day at Hodges Stadium concluded the UCF track and field team’s regular season slate, setting up for an anticipated trip to Kansas later this month for the Big 12 Outdoor Championship.

In the first of two prelims to commence action on Saturday, three Knights qualified in the 100m prelims. Adaobi Tabugbo led the charge in second with her time of 13.08, followed closely by Y’Vette Harris, who clocked the program’s 10th-fastest time of 13.32. Ese Awusa followed suit with a personal-best of her own, crossing the line in 13.34 to place 5th.

The Knights qualified one more into the afternoon finals, as I’Asia Wilson grabbed the last spot in ninth with her 11.48. Coco Branch (11.51) and Khristel Martindale (11.62) followed in 11th and 15th.

On the runway, a pair of jumping events served as the highlights for the Knights’ field squad. In the triple jump, Alexis Waller secured a seventh-place finish with her strong mark of 12.30m. Natalia Madison competed simultaneously in the high jump, placing ninth after clearing 1.65m.

Back on the track, UCF authored a season-best 44.06 in the 4x100m relay, crossing the line in second. A promising group of Jazmen Newberry, Janiah Pulliam, Tabugbo and Wilson will look to carry their momentum into conference.

Norfolk State transfer Yvone Sandui has been a pillar in UCF’s distance squad since her arrival this spring. Today, the Kenya native became just the second Knight in program history to run sub 2:05, clocking a remarkable 2:04.94 in the 800m to place seventh.

The 100m hurdles marked the first of two finals, as Tabugbo matched her preliminary performance with a second-place finish while dropping her time to 13.05. Harris followed in fifth with a strong 13.47 outing.

Before the 100m finals closed action, Twaneise Johnson (53.23) and Jazmen Newberry (53.59) went back-to-back in third and fourth in the 400m. The finale was a perfect conclusion to the regular season, as Wilson matched her personal best of 11.27 in the 100m to stride into third.

UP NEXT

A weekend off will precede the program’s second Big 12 Outdoor Championship, with Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Kansas, set to host the competition from May 15-17.