ORLANDO – With two program records falling this past weekend at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational, the UCF track and field team has checked in at 16th in the latest USTFCCCA National Ratings Index. As the Knights approach their final weeks of the regular season, they remain among the best programs in the nation.
Latasha Smith and Kiah Williams ran the first sub-52 seconds 400-meter dash in program history as Smith broke her previous school record with the nation's 10th-best time of 51.47. Her partner was just behind her as Williams currently sits 12th in the nation and second in program history with her time of 51.59.
The duo was also a part of the 4x400-meter relay squad, along with Rayniah Jones and Daija Lampkin, that set the new program record with their time of 3:31.42. The performance is the 13th-best in the nation and comfortably the best in the American Athletic Conference.
UCF remains the only AAC team ranked in the top-25. Moreover, the Knights would currently be the third highest-ranked team in the future Big 12, trailing only No. 1 Texas and No. 11 BYU. In the event squad rankings, UCF is currently seventh in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash, second in the 100-meter hurdles, and sixth in the long jump.
A big weekend awaits the Black and Gold as the sprint and field squads will make the trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the LSU Alumni Gold Invite, while the distance squad heads to Atlanta for the Georgia Tech Invitational.
Knights in the Top 10
Rayniah Jones / 100-meter hurdles (4th)
Latasha Smith / 400-meter dash (10th)
Ani Wells, I'Asia Wilson, Beyonce Defreitas, Janyah Jasper / 4x100 relay (10th)
Kaylor Harris, Natalia Madison, Alicia Coleman, Rayniah Jones / Shuttle Hurdle Relay (1st)