MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The Bethune-Cookman field event and multi-event athletes turned in solid performances over the weekend at the Coastal Carolina Shamrock Invitational at Doug Shaw Stadium. The Wildcats' efforts were highlighted by a pair of first place finishes for Kenneth Fisher and a multis win for Deidra Jordan.
“This was a great opportunity to see where we were, coming off spring break,” Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Donald Cooper said. “We came away with a few decent performances, which will help with the team's overall confidence.”
“We still have a lot of work to do,” Cooper added. “We need to continue to improve if we want to reach our team goal. I will continue to challenge our coaches and athletes to get better.”
Fisher, a freshman from East Point, Ga., earned victory in the triple jump with a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) leading 15.21m (49-11.00 ft.), a 7.5-inch boost over his indoor best. In addition, Fisher topped the field in the long jump with a MEAC third-best 7.29m (23-11.00 ft.).
Fisher was hardly the only Wildcat men's athlete to perform well in the jumps, as La'Quan Howard was third in the triple jump at 14.75m (48-04.75 ft.) in the triple jump, while Michael Tiller was fourth at 14.73m (48-04.00 ft.), and Jimel Wright was sixth at 14.52m (47-07.75 ft.). Demetrius Rooks also joined Fisher in placing in the long jump, coming in third at 6.87m (22-06.50 ft.).
As a focal point for the trip to South Carolina, several multi-event athletes turned in quality performances, including a handful of section meet records in the separate events. Leading that charge was Swainsboro, Ga. junior Deidra Jordan, who earned heptathlon section victories in the high jump (1.67m), 200m dash (25.57) and long jump (5.62m). In each of the three events, Jordan set Shamrock Invitational meet records, paving the way for an overall heptathlon victory, recording a total of 4,539 points. Mirline Cherisme also earned fourth place in the event with a total of 4,269 points.
In the men's decathlon, Curtis Riggins topped the Wildcats with consistent scoring, earning seventh with a total of 5,831 points, while Keron Stoute was eighth (5,721) and Ricy Brown was 10th (5,637). Brown added another B-CU event section meet record, winning the 1,500m section in 4:14.66.
“We feel confident that they will all qualify for our outdoor conference championships,” Cooper said of his multi-event athletes.
Rounding out the top field event scorers, freshman high jumper Ed'Ricus Williams tied for second in the event with a MEAC-leading 2.10m (6-10.75 ft.). Tiller also finished seventh in the high jump with a height of 1.90m (6-02.75 ft.).
Topping the running event performers, junior Tremayne Banks was the picture of progressive consistency in the 110m hurdles, first setting a new career mark in the preliminary, then slicing another .15 seconds to finish second in a time of 14.12. His time ties for the top spot in the MEAC and ranks 13th in the nation at this point in the early outdoor season.
Another focal point of the S.C. appearance was getting the relays out on the track, and the Wildcats had five teams in competition. Turning in the top B-CU result, the women's 4x100m squad, composed of Keyona Thomas, Breonca Reid, Shalaneya Bryant and Tristie Johnson, finished third in 46.06, ranking third in the conference standings. The men's squad, of Jamel Davis, Banks, Nicholas Williams and Eddie Scott, finished ninth in 42.19.
In the women's 4x200m, the team of Bryant, Johnson, Thomas and Sandricka Simmons finished fourth in a time of 1:38.09. The men's team of Banks, Davis, N. Williams and Junior Saint Preux came in ninth with a time of 1:28.82.
Meanwhile, the men's 4x400m (Banks, Davis, Brown, N. Williams) was also ninth at 3:17.36.
Individually, Reid cut close to her career best in the 100m finals, running a time of 12.04 to finish sixth and rank fifth among MEAC sprinters. She also finished ninth in the long jump with a distance of 5.47m (17-11.50 ft.). Daniel Ketter was seventh in the men's 5,000m at 15:29.70. Akeem Barthol (J4.15m/13-07.25 ft.) and Princy Dorsainvil (4.00m/13-01.50 ft.) went seventh and ninth in the men's pole vault, while Keyoshia Harris was eighth on the women's side at 2.90m (9-06.25 ft.).
The Wildcats return to action next weekend in Jacksonville at the UNF Spring Break Invitational, Friday, March 28 to Saturday, March 29 at North Florida's Hodges Stadium.
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.
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