LANDOVER, Md. -- Bethune-Cookman's Jonina Brinson won the Long Jump to highlight the Wildcats' opening day of The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship Thursday.

The senior from Swainsboro, Ga. posted a leap of 19 feet, 11 ¾ inches to outdistance North Carolina A&T's Madeleine Akobundu, who jumped 19'9.

Brinson is the cousin of B-CU Head Track Coach Donald Cooper.

"He has really been pushing me to go harder," Brinson said of Cooper. "I came into the meet healthy and feeling good. The team got behind my back and brought some amazing energy and  it was left on me to perform."

Bethune-Cookman also had Jasmine McKenzie finish fifth in 19'1/2".

In Thursday's other final, Nyajock Pan finished seventh in the 5000 meter run with a time of 18 minutes, 46.64.

In preliminary action, Quamecha Morrison posted a time of 24.42 in the 200 meters for a third place seeding in the finals.

Bethune-Cookman finished the day in second place with 16 points, three behind Hampton.

"We are off to a decent start for both the men and women's teams," Cooper said. "We have to require more out of our new athletes in order to stay in the hunt, though. Jonina set the tone for the women, now everyone else needs to respond. The men really have to step up tomorrow and a very capable of doing so."

On the men's side, freshman Jamaz Richardson finished fifth in the long jump (23'2") while ,  Xavier Walton and Daniel Kiptoo sixth and seventh in the 5000 meter (15:31.6 and 15:40.69).

The men are currently in fifth place with nine points. Florida A&M leads with 18.

Action resumes Friday.