ORLANDO – With four event wins and 20 PRs, the UCF track and field team capped yet another excellent week in Gainesville and Boston. The runners did their part at the Celebration Pointe Classic and were joined on Friday by multis and the field squad at Harvard for the Crimson Elite.
"As we enter into February, we are starting to see the team putting things together," said Head Coach Dana Boone on both meets. "Times are dropping, and people are getting better which is what we want as we continue to prepare to enter championship season. I'm pleased with the direction we are moving as a total team."
With only one event, the 200-meter dash, on Thursday, the 10 Knights competing set the tone for what was to come on Friday. Daija Lampkin won the event in 23.58 and was followed by four more Knights to round out the top five. Latasha Smith, Kiah Williams, Janyah Jasper, and Alicia Coleman all set new personal bests.
Smith took home the 300-meter dash (37.87) to get day two started in Gainesville, followed by Williams in second who set a new personal record (38.49). The event was then followed by the two 60-meter prelims, which the Knights had seven competing in – all advanced to the finals. At noon, Holly Cassels and Natalia Madison began their second pentathlon of the season with the 60-meter hurdles in which both set new PRs. Cassels was just getting started, eventually setting PRs in three more events along with matching her personal record in the High Jump. She now sits in fourth program history in the pentathlon, with Friday's tally of 3,615 besting her previous record.
The distance squad continues its progress, setting four new PRs today. Freshman Kendall Hughes finished second in the 800-meter with a time of 2:12.45, a new personal best and now eighth in program history. Later in the mile, the Jaszczak twins both set new PRs, with Paige landing in the top-5 of the event. Mackenzie Czurak was just one spot behind and also set a new personal best.
In the 60-meter finals, three Knights placed in the top five as Daija Lampkin (third), Janyah Jasper (fourth), and Kaylor Harris (fifth), all gave great performances. Jasper's time of 7.41 also set a new personal best for her. Minutes before Harris competed in the dash finals, she took home first in the hurdles finals in 8.23.
Back at Harvard, Asherah Collins hit the track for a change and competed in the 60-meter dash. Her prelims time of 7.56 pushed her into the finals as well as setting a new personal best.
Here are the full results of a busy Friday in Gainesville and Boston:
200m Dash
Daija Lampkin 23.58 1st
Beyonce Defreitas 23.76 2nd
Latasha Smith 24.05 3rd*
Kiah Williams 24.11 4th*
Janyah Jasper 24.16 5th*
Ani Wells 25.06 8th
Kai'lyn Kirkland 25.08 9th
I'Asia Wilson 25.26 12th
Alicia Coleman 25.30 13th*
Tamia Badal 26.65 20th
300m Dash
Latasha Smith 37.87 1st
Kiah Williams 38.49 2nd*
60m Huddles Prelims
Rayniah Jones 8.32 1st Q
Kaylor Harris 8.41 2nd Q
Alicia Coleman 8.64 3rd Q*
Tamia Badal 8.89 4th Q
60m Dash Prelims
Daija Lampkin 7.43 3rd Q
Beyonce Defreitas 7.48 4th Q
Janyah Jasper 7.51 5th Q
Ani Wells 7.67 6th Q
I'Asia Wilson 7.68 7th Q
400m Dash
Kai'lyn Kirkland 55.62 2nd*
800m
Kendall Hughes 2:12.45 2nd*
Katie Pinnell 2:13.71 3rd
Paige Kelly 2:21.97 8th
60m Hurdle Final
Kaylor Harris 8.23 1st
Alicia Coleman 8.52 2nd*
60m Dash Final
Daija Lampkin 7.33 3rd
Janyah Jasper 7.41 4th*
Kaylor Harris 7.44 5th
Beyonce Defreitas 7.48 6th*
Ani Wells 7.65 8th
I'Asia Wilson 7.68 9th
Mile
Paige Jaszczak 5:07.57 5th*
Mackenzie Czurak 5:07.68 6th*
Ali Del Re 5:10.98 15th
Rachel Wheatley 5:13.77 19th
Riley Jaszczak 5:13.85 20th*
Brenna Mullaney 5:22.61 26th
Harvard
Pentathlon Standings
Holly Cassels 3617 8th
Natalia Madison 3591 10th
Pent. 60m Hurdle
Natalia Madison 8.76 4th*
Holly Cassels 9.34 13th*
Pent. High Jump
Natalia Madison 1.69m 5'6 1/2" 3rd
Holly Cassels 1.63m 5'4 1/4" 8th
Pent. Shot Put
Natalia Madison 10.89m 35'8 3/4" 8th*
Holy Cassels 10.89m 35'8 3/4" 8th
Pent. Long Jump
Holly Cassels 5.46m 17'11" 7th*
Natalia Madison 5.39m 17'8 3/4" 11th
Pent. 800m
Holly Cassels 2:27.25 8th*
Natalia Madison 2:43.61 15th
Triple Jump
Asherah Collins 12.82m 42'4 3/4" 1st
High Jump
Kaliah Jones 1.70m 5'7" 2nd
60m Dash (Prelims)
Asherah Collins 7.59 6th q*
Leiya Green 7.77 12th
60m Dash (Finals)
Asherah Collins 7.64 7th
Long Jump
Jasmine Scott-Kilgo 6.14m 20'1 1/3" 2nd
Leiya Green 5.34m 17 6 1/4" 14th
* - Personal Record
