BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats opened a busy week with competition at the Southern Miss Invitational inside the Birmingham Crossplex throughout the day and evening on Thursday (Jan. 30). Traveling with a limited roster, B-CU came away from the event with eight top-three finishes, including three event winners.

Topping the event victors at the meet, sophomore sprinter Tristie Johnson made her first appearance in her most natural event, the 200m dash, earning first with a time of 24.77, ranking her sixth in the MEAC this season. Johnson also competed in the 400m, earning seventh in 58.61. Joining Johnson in the top 10 of the event were Keyona Thomas (25.31) and Shalaneya Bryant (25.32) in seventh and ninth, respectively.

Also earning gold in Birmingham was Tremayne Banks, who won the 200m while running a career-best time of 21.81. His performance ranks fourth in the MEAC this season. Banks also set a career mark in the 60m hurdles, placing second in the event with a time of 8.00. Former B-CU hurdler and two-time NCAA Championships qualifier Kemar Clarke ran unattached at the meet, winning the event.

La'Quan Howard rounded out the men's event winners with a victory in the men's triple jump, recording a leap of 14.67m (48-01.75 ft.). Howard finished just ahead of freshman teammate Kenneth Fisher, who was third at 14.55m (47-09.00 ft.), while Michael Tiller was sixth at 14.06m (46-01.50 ft.).

Tiller also finished fourth in the high jump with a mark of 1.95m (6-04.75 ft.).

Desiree Richardson earned a second-place finish in the shot put, hitting a season-best mark of 13.65m (44-09.50 ft.) to lead the B-CU women in the field events. Her throw in Birmingham ranks fourth in the MEAC this season.

Juliette Hyppolite finished third in the high jump with a measurement of 1.60m (5-03.00 ft.), while Deidra Jordan moved up to third in the MEAC long jump standings with her fifth-place season-best mark of 5.65m (18-06.50 ft.). In the triple jump, Rayanna Johnson (11.25m - 36-11.00 ft.) and Mirline Cherisme (10.95m - 35-11.25 ft.) went sixth and ninth, respectively. Rayanna Johnson also finished ninth in the 60m hurdles with a time of 9.11.

Breonca Reid captured third place in the women's 60m dash finals with a MEAC 11th-best 7.64 seconds race. Keyona Thomas fell just behind, in fourth, with a time of 7.73.

In the men's sprints, Wallace Swift (7.04) and Nicholas Williams (7.06) went fourth and fifth in the 60m dash finals, while Jamel Davis was fifth in the 400m with a time of 49.80. Davis also came in ninth in the 200m in 22.37.

Barry Kimbrough finished sixth in the men's shot put with a mark of 14.36m (47-01.50 ft.).

In the distance events, the women's competitors topped the B-CU lists, led by freshman Nyajock Pan, who ran a 10:59.39 in the 3,000m to finish fifth. Morgan Brown ran a 2:26.69 in the 800m to finish seventh and Kirsten Taylor finished ninth in the one mile run with a time of 5:39.40.

In men's distance events, Daniel Ketter ran a 4:23.97 mile to finish eighth.

The Wildcats are taking on the track & field equivalent of a double-header, traveling directly from Birmingham to Clemson, S.C. Competition in the Bob Pollack Invitational begins Friday (Jan. 31) and runs through Saturday (Feb. 1).

For all the latest information on the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, including meet results and recaps, visit B-CUathletics.com. Be sure to follow the official Twitter feeds at @CookmanTrack and @BCUathletics or "Like Us" on Facebook at BCUAthletics.

-B-CUathletics.com-