May 5, 2011
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By Pat Salvas
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - With the opening of a new stadium as the backdrop, the UCF outdoor track & field team dominated the UCF Twilight Thursday night. The meet marked the first event to be held in the new UCF Soccer and Track Stadium and also played host Senior Day and a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the opening.
But it was more than just about a new venue, Thursday was also the final home meet of the season for the Knights who used the meet as preparation for the 2011 Conference USA Championships at Rice, starting next Thursday, May 12.
"Today was a great day for the entire team and especially our seniors," head coach Caryl Smith Gilbert said. "I'm pleased with how well everyone ran and performed. This is a meet that we can build on heading into the conference championships next week.
"Having so many PRs today shows the whole team is truly committed to our collective goals."
Freshman Aurieyall Scott set a new school and freshman record as she claimed first in the 100 meters in 11.48. Scott broke Sheila Paul's previous mark of 11.51 by three-thousandths of a second to establish the new record in the event. Tyler Smith (11.71) was not too far back as she placed fifth. Lynne Layne (11.73) was sixth overall, while Dominique Booker (11.75) and Paul (11.75) were seventh and eighth, respectively.
Jackie Coward also claimed the top spot in the 100-meter hurdles in 13.10. Karessa Farley was second in the same event in a personal-best time of 13.22. Farley also set a new PR in the 100 meters as she placed 13th in 12.06.
Tomika Story was first in both the triple jump (40-7.75/12.39m) and the long jump (19-2.75/5.86m) Thursday. Her mark in the long jump was a personal best by more than two inches. Mica Wimberly, who was honored as one of five members of the senior class prior to the meet, finished second in the triple jump in a personal-best distance of 39-5.0/12.01m. Jacquelyn Gilchrist was the only other Knight competing in the long jump, taking third in 18-7.0/5.66m.
Winning seemed to be the trend on this day as Sandy Jean took first in the 400-meter hurdles in 1:01.29. Also competing in the 400-meter hurdles was Aisha-Maree Frazier, who placed fifth in 1:06.38. Mason Gardberg outlasted her competitors to take the top spot in the 3,000-meter steeplechase for the Knights in 12:47.19.
In one of the largest events of the afternoon, Paul set a new personal-best en route to a first-place finish in the 200 meters. Paul claimed the top spot in 23.54, while Booker (4th, 23.89), Smith (6th, 23.94), Afia Charles (9th, 24.20) and Champelle Brown (10th, 24.71) rounded out the Knights in the top 10. The times run by Smith and Charles were personal bests, while Ashley Bolling (14th, 25.08) and Eva Pierce (18th, 26.03) also ran PRs. Brittany McCord was the other UCF runner in the event, finishing 17th in 25.86.
UCF's two 4x400-meter relay teams claimed the top two spots on Thursday. The foursome of Frazier, Ne'Ausha Logan, Dan'Elle Bellamy and Jean took first in 3:44.18, while Booker, Carley Dart, Brown and Charles were second in 3:47.77. Both teams struggled at points, but strong kicks by the third leg for both squads put them in good position to go one and two in the race.
The 800 meters saw the Knights continue their dominating day as both Erica Winston (2nd, 2:10.80) and Logan (3rd, 2:11.15) set PRs in the event. Winston's mark was also a new freshman record in the event, besting the previous time of 2:11.95 set by Logan two weeks ago at the Tom Jones Memorial. Dart (6th, 2:16.20), Katya Groff (12th, 2:25.33) and Danielle Scaffidi (15th, 2:35.09) rounded out the UCF contingent, while the 400 meters saw Bellamy take seventh in a personal-best 57.15 and Pierce claim ninth in 59.27.
Groff also took first place in the 1,500 meters in 4:56.99 with Scaffidi taking second in 5:06.40.
Erica Weiss actually began the day for the Knights by setting the tone in the first event with a PR of 12-1.25/3.70m in the pole vault. That height was good for a second-place finish.
Assistant coach Jeff Chakouian has used the last few weeks to work closely with the UCF throwers and it paid off Thursday with several strong performances. Freshman Satrina Oliveira took second in the discus with a personal-best throw of 145-2/44.26m, while fellow freshman Destinee Romain was fifth with a distance of 129-10/39.58m.
Romain then went on to place second in the shot put with a throw of 42-9.50/13.04m. Oliveira was fifth with a mark of 39-2.5/11.95m.
In all, UCF runners set 18 personal records, one school record and two freshmen records on this day. The Knights will now head to Rice in Houston next week to try and defend their 2010 C-USA title earned last May on their home track. UCF has since claimed its first C-USA indoor title in February at Houston's facility. The Knights are one of just two teams in the conference ranked in the nation's Top 25 (SMU), claiming the No. 17 spot in each of the last two polls. The 2011 C-USA Championships from Rice's Track and Soccer Complex is set to get underway Thursday, May 12.
UCF Track & Field
UCF Twilight - NEW UCF Soccer and Track Stadium
May 5, 2011
Pole Vault
2. Erica Weiss, 12-1.25/3.70m!
Discus
2. Satrina Oliveira, 145-2/44.26m!
4. Destinee Romain, 129-10/39.58m
Shot Put
2. Destinee Romain, 42-9.50/13.04m
5. Satrina Oliveira, 39-2.5/11.95m
Long Jump
1. Tomika Story, 19-2.75/5.86m!
3. Jacquelyn Gilchrist, 18-7.0/5.66m
Triple Jump
1. Tomika Story, 40-7.75/12.39m
2. Mica Wimberly, 39-5.0/12.01m!
1500 Meters
1. Katya Groff, 4:56.99
2. Danielle Scaffidi, 5:06.40
100-Meter Hurdles
1. Jackie Coward, 13.10 (+0.8)
2. Karessa Farley, 13.22 (+0.8)!
400 Meters
7. Dan'Elle Bellamy, 57.15!
9. Eva Pierce, 59.27
100 Meters
1. Aurieyall Scott, 11.48 (-1.3)!^
5. Tyler Smith, 11.71 (-0.6)!
6. Lynne Layne, 11.73 (-1.3)
7. Dominique Booker, 11.75 (-0.6)
8. Sheila Paul, 11.75 (-1.3)
13. Karessa Farley, 12.06 (+1.4)!
14. Amanda Leland, 12.07 (+1.4)!
18. Brittany McCord, 12.33 (+1.4)
22. Jacquelyn Gilchrist, 12.55 (+1.4)!
800 Meters
2. Erica Winston, 2:10.80!#
3. Ne'Ausha Logan, 2:11.15!
6. Carley Dart, 2:16.20
12. Katya Groff, 2:25.33
15. Danielle Scaffidi, 2:35.09
400-Meter Hurdles
1. Sandy Jean, 1:01.29
5. Aisha-Maree Frazier, 1:06.38
200 Meters
1. Shiela Paul, 23.54 (-0.4)!
4. Dominique Booker, 23.89 (-0.4)
6. Tyler Smith, 23.94 (-0.8)!
9. Afia Charles, 24.20 (-0.8)!
10. Champelle Brown, 24.71 (-0.8)
14. Ashley Bolling, 25.08 (0.6)!
17. Brittany McCord, 25.86 (0.6)
18. Eva Pierce, 26.03 (0.3)!
3000-Meter Steeplechase
1. Mason Gardberg, 12:47.19
4x400-Meter Relay
1. UCF `A' 3:44.18
(Frazier, Logan, Bellamy, Jean)
2. UCF `B' 3:47.77
(Booker, Dart, Brown, Charles)