Relay Squad Shines as Track and Field Concludes Orange and Purple InvitationalRelay Squad Shines as Track and Field Concludes Orange and Purple Invitational

Relay Squad Shines as Track and Field Concludes Orange and Purple Invitational

by Alex Clough
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CLEMSON, South Carolina - It was another promising day on the track and on the runway for the UCF track and field team as the squad concluded competition at the Orange and Purple Invitational with multiple highlights, including another record-breaking performance from the 4x400m squad.

This was a great weekend for the team in terms of overall performances. We had some breakthroughs and we are getting a little better each week. We are trending in the right direction. I was very pleased by the efforts put forth by this team. We head to Lubbock next week with another opportunity to run on a fast track.

Head coach Dana Boone

Natalia Madison opened Saturday’s action with a third-place finish in the high jump, passing 1.63m to open her indoor campaign in the event.

After distance authored some strong performance yesterday, Abby Clements and Penelope Sosa showed the momentum was not wavering into the final day. The latter moved to third in program history with her 9:48.07 in the 3000m. Clements followed with yet another personal best, crossing the line at 10:04.81.

In the 200m, North Texas transfer Deja Shaw-Huckaby led the Knights with a 24.55 and 19th-place finish, closely followed by Coco Branch in 20th with her time of 24.56. Freshman Aaliyah Gipson clocked her first personal best of her young collegiate career with a 24.79 in 25th.

After winning the triple jump at the Rod McCravy Memorial to open the season, Asherah Collins led the collegiate field once again while setting a new personal best with her 13.16m, moving one step closer to the program record. Following in her steps was sophomore Alexis Waller, who also set a new career-best with her 12.16m jump, landing in seventh. Louisiana-Monroe transfer Angelina Horn authored a ninth-place finish with her 12.01m mark.

It was a fitting end to the weekend in the 4x400m relay, as the squad of Jazmen Newberry, Twaneise Johnson, Deja Shaw-Huckaby, and Kiah Williams ran the second-fastest time in program history, leading the collegiate field with a 3:34.29. The performance is just milliseconds off the program record of 3:34 flat.

The Knights will be back in action next weekend at the Stan Scott Invite, hosted by Texas Tech in Lubbock.