BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (UCFKnights.com) – After the first day of the American Athletic Conference championship, the UCF track and field team earned a podium finish and advanced a pair of runners to the finals at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
UCF is eighth in the team standings, collecting 14 points on the first day of action.
Gabby Durant earned the first medal for the Knights, placing third to earn all-conference honors in the weight throw. Her second throw of the day landed at 64-6.5/19.67m, carrying her into the finals and onto the podium. She added six points to the UCF team score.
Jhane' Carter joined Durant in the scoring, adding three points with a sixth-place finish in the weight throw. Advancing to the finals, her fifth throw of the day landed at a personal-best distance of 62-9.5/19.14m.
Natosha Jordan earned the first points of the meet for UCF, finishing seventh in the pentathlon with 3,454 points. She cleared her personal best as a Knight, 5-7.25, to collect 867 points in the high jump. She earned the most points at The American Championship since Devinn Cartwright (3534) at the 2015 championship.
The distance medley relay used a seventh-place finish to collect two points. The quartet of Marissa Codispodi, Ebony Crear, Rosie Chamberlain and Kalleigh Forrester, finished in 12:09.06.
Anna Chamness used a personal-best performance in the pole vault to tie for seventh and add a point to the UCF team score. Her mark of 11-7.25 was almost an inch better than her previous best, set at last year's championship.
Two Knights will advance to the finals in their respective events on Saturday.
Rosie Chamberlain will have an opportunity to capture the indoor 800-meter title for the third straight season. The senior won her heat with a time of 2:11.46 to qualify for Saturday's finals.
Making her American Athletic Conference championship debut, Shaniya Williams used a personal-best performance to advance to the 60-meter dash finals. The freshman finished second in her heat with the sixth-fastest time of the day, crossing the line in 7.44.
The final day of competition will begin at 9:45 a.m. with the high jump.
UCF Results
Weight Throw
3. Gabby Durant 64-6.5/19.67m
6. Jhane' Carter 62-9.5/19.14m
13. Shanell Atkins 53-5.75/16.30m
Pentathlon
7. Natosha Jordan 3454 pts
Distance Medley Relay
7. UCF (Marissa Codispodi, Ebony Crear, Rosie Chamberlain, Kalleigh Forrester) 12:09.06
Pole Vault
T7. Anna Chamness 11-7.25/3.54m
800m
2. Rosie Chamberlain 2:11.46Q
14. Beth Williams 2:17.27
18. Crystal Tejeda 2:20.85
60m
6. Shaniya Williams 7.44q
19. Ciara Holback 7.71
22. Sarah Wollaston 7.80
200m
13. Ciara Holback 24.91
15. Shaniya Williams 24.94
17. Loren Gallmon 25.15
20. Sarah Wollaston 25.51
26. Aria Tate 25.99
27. Asia Gonzalez 26.94
29. Keausha Bradley-Macklin 27.42
400m
9. Venida Fagan 56.80
11. Ebony Crear 56.85
18. Loren Gallmon 57.70
29. Tyra Johnson 1:01.52
Mile
16. Victoria Jung 5:09.11
17. Marissa Codispodi 5:09.80
18. Katy Soltis 5:10.68
60m Hurdles
16. Aria Tate 8.85
Long Jump
17. Briana Potter 17-4.75/5.30m
22. Keausha Bradley-Macklin 16-3/4.95m
23. Daneesha Davidson 16-2.5/4.94m
Saturday Events
9:45 a.m. – High Jump
11 a.m. – Triple Jump
12:15 p.m. – 60m Dash
12:30 p.m. – Shot Put
1:05 p.m. – 800m Run
1:45 p.m. – 3,000m Run
2:45 p.m. – 4x400 Relay