Owls Set for Day Two at C-USA Indoor Championship

Saturday, February 16

Birmingham, Ala.

Florida Atlantic

Conference USA Championship

Photo by: Michael Wade/Wade Event Photogra

2/17/2019 11:47:00 AM | Women's XC/Track & Field

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Florida Atlantic University track and field team had an impressive first day at the Conference USA Indoor Track and Field Championship. After one day, the Owls stand in 11th place.

QUICK HITS

Natalliah Whyte had the highest time in the 60-meter dash preliminaries with a time of 7.41 to qualify for the finals on Sunday. That time is the fourth highest in FAU history. Jemesha Moorer also ran the 60-m and had a time of 7.71 for 16th
Whyte also advanced to the finals in the 200-meter dash with a school record time of 23.74 in the prelims. She is the first FAU runner to record a sub-24 second time in the 200-meter. She'll be joined by Jenae Ambrose who advanced with a time of 24.55, tied for the sixth highest time in FAU history
The distance medley relay team of Mikaela Jonsson, Searra Woods, Megan Giovanniello and Elizabeth Wellman just missed the podium with a time of 12:13.90 for a fourth place finish. The squad's finish was the best ever by a FAU distance medley relay team since joining C-USA and the sixth best time by a FAU team
Erica Lersch will compete in the 800-meter run finals on Sunday after qualifying with the fourth best time of 2:13.72, the sixth highest time in school history and new personal record. Jonsson (2:17.51), Brooke Butterfield (2:19.03; a new PR) and Giovanniello (2:20.49) also ran in the event
Kennedie Reese had the 15th best time in the 60-meter hurdles prelims with a time of 9.23. Renee Shaw finished in 9.280, just 0.006 behind the 16th place finisher
Reese also competed in the pentathlon along with Morgan Shortridge. Reese had an overall score of 3007 for 13th place and a new personal best and Shortridge came in 16th with a personal record score of 2344
Wellman completed the 1-mile run in 5:10.68 for a 17th place finish in the prelims. Morgan Graff (5:26.03) and Lauren Macon (5:30.24) also ran the mile
Kelsey Meltzer finished the 5000-meter run in 19:04.14 for a 22nd place finish. She was joined by Sophia Clark who completed the run right behind her at 19:07.06 for a 23rd place finish
Woods was the lone Owl in the 400-meter dash and she had the 23rd best time of 58.73

SUNDAY EVENTS FOR THE OWLS

12:00 p.m. – High Jump (Morgan Shortridge)
2:50 p.m. – 60-Meter Dash finals (Natalliah Whyte)
3:00 p.m. – Triple Jump (Cara Simpson)
3:30 p.m. – 800-Meter Run finals (Erica Lersch)
3:45 p.m. – 200-Meter Dash finals (Natalliah Whyte)
4:15 p.m. – 3000-Meter Run (Kelsey Meltzer, Morgan Graff, Mikaela Jonsson, Elizabeth Wellman, Brooke Butterfield, Lauren Macon, Erica Lersch, Sophia Clark, Megan Giovanniello)
5:00 p.m. – 4x400 Relay (Jenae Ambrose, Searra Woods, Cara Simpson and Megan Giovanniello)

COACH SMOLKA'S TAKE
"After a good first day of the championship, we're excited for championship Sunday. Yesterday brought us a school record, a bunch of PR's and our highest ever finish in the DMR since joining C-USA, missing third place by a hair. It's a great feeling to have people in the finals today with a chance to earn some medals and score points for the team."

OWLS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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