CORAL GABLES, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – The UCF track and field team showed its speed at the Hurricane Alumni Invitational on Saturday.
UCF posted personal or season bests in five track events, while a pair of long jumpers finished in the top 10 in their collegiate debuts.
“As we are one month away from championship season, a lot of things are starting to come together,” head coach Dana Boone said. “We had a lot of great performances on the track and in the field. I was pleased with the efforts today and the work that this team is putting in week after week. I look forward to watching the rest of the season unfold.”
The 4x100 relay squad of Shaniya Williams, Shian Hyde, Beyonce Defreitas and Ciara Holback set the tone early, turning in a season-best time of 44.40 to finish fourth in the event.
Shian Hyde and Ciara Holback posted the top two fastest times on the American Athletic Conference performance list in the 100-meter dash, while Shaniya Williams joined them in the top five. Hyde, who finished second in the event, turned in a season-best 11.37 in the event, while Holback (11.44), Williams (11.59), Beyonce Defreitas (11.87), Sarah Wollaston (11.92), Asia Gonzalez (12.20) and Ashley Nelson (12.29) all posted personal bests.
Hyde also improved her season mark (23.63) with a fifth-place finish in the 200-meter dash while keeping the second spot in the league secured.
Victoria Jung made the most of her season debuts in the 800-meter run and 1500-meter runs. Her personal best 2:13.70 mark in the 800 propelled her into the top 10 on the conference performance list. She also set a personal best in the 1500 with a time of 4:38.02, finishing third in the event.
Kaitlyn Soltis also set a personal best 2:15.61 in her 800m season debut. She joined Jung and Katie Pinnell as a top 10 finisher on Saturday.
Devin D’Oliveira and Daneesha Davidson made their collegiate long jump debuts. D’Oliveira finished second with a jump of 19-2.5/5.85m and Davidson took seventh with a mark of 18-7/5.66m. Both marks put the Knights in the top 20 on the conference performance list.
Next up, UCF will head to the Georgia Tech Invitational on April 20.
Results
4x1
4. Shaniya Williams, Shian Hyde, Beyonce Defreitas, Ciara Holback 44.40
100m
2. Shian Hyde 11.37
5. Ciara Holback 11.44
16. Shaniya Williams 11.59
27. Beyonce Defreitas 11.87
29. Sarah Wollaston 11.92
39. Asia Gonzalez 12.20
42. Ashley Nelson 12.29
200m
5. Shian Hyde 23.63
8. Ciara Holback 23.87
13. Loren Gallmon 23.97
17. Beyonce Defreitas 24.13
28. Sarah Wollaston 24.50
33. Shaniya Williams 24.63
35. Samieryah Bradwell 24.65
47. Ashley Nelson 25.60
57. Asia Gonzalez 25.96
400m
8. Loren Gallmon 55.08
16. Samieryah Bradwell 56.71
800m
7. Katie Pinnell 2:11.42
8. Victoria Jung 2:13.70
10. Kaitlyn Soltis 2:15.61
17. Charlotte Crook 2:19.45
1500m
3. Victoria Jung 4:38.02
16. Jessica Dolan 4:58.04
100m Hurdles
7. Zharia Moore 13.98
400m Hurdles
3. Devin D’Oliveira 59.40
9. Daneesha Davidson 1:02.19
Long Jump
2. Devin D’Oliveira 19-2.5/5.85m
7. Daneesha Davidson 18-7/5.66m
Discus
12. Soteria Russell 135-3/41.23m
Shot Put
8. Gabby Durant 44-8.25/13.62m
12. Soteria Russell 42-1.25/12.83m
16. Jhane’ Carter 39-4.5/12.00m
Pole Vault
4. Madison Bryan 11-3.75/3.45m