FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas — Each ranked third in the latest USTFCCCA national polls, the South Plains College men's and women's track and field teams were back on the track this weekend at the 2018 Tyson Invitational from the Randal Tyson Track Complex on the campus of the University of Arkansas.
Competing against a field of nationally ranked Div. I universities, South Plains' Jordan Atkinson and Montel Hood each hit national qualifying marks in the men's 400 meters to kick things off for the Texans. Atkinson finished with a final time of 48.14, and Hood crossed the line at 48.22.
In the men's 800 meters, Dekaryea Freeman hit a national mark with a time of 1:55.40, good enough for eighth overall. Mason Weh and William Watson hit national marks in the men's 60-meter hurdles and placed inside the top 10 as Weh finished seventh with a time of 7.91, and Watson took eighth with a mark of 8.03.
Freshman Parker Wood hit a national mark in the men's pole vault with a clearance of 15' 1", while freshman Holland Martin placed seventh overall in the men's long jump and hit a national mark with a jump of 23' 11". In the men's 200 meters, Keion Sutton and Brandon Letts each hit a national mark as Sutton finished with a time of 21.89, and Letts posted a time of 21.97.
In the men's 5000 meters, three Texans hit the national mark as Andrew Bosquez placed second overall with a time of 14:49.00, followed by Felix Kogei who placed fourth with a time of 14:51.11, and Filmon Beyene earned a seventh place overall finish with a time of 15:18.17. In the men's high jump, James Willingham and Asani Hylton tied for eighth overall and hit a national mark as they each cleared 6' 7.5".
South Plains' Omotayo Abolaji and Patrice Moody each hit national marks in the women's 60 meters, as Omotayo crossed the line at 7.77, and Moody posted a final time of 7.82. The sophomore trio of Natassha McDonald, Agnes Abrocquah, and Ashley Hughes each hit national marks in the women's 400 meters, as McDonald finished with a time of 54.37, while Abrocquah ran a 55.90, and Hughes posted a time of 56.51.
In the women's long jump, freshman Ruth Usoro placed eighth overall with a mark of 18' 5.25". Seselia Dala and Leslie Romero placed inside the top 10 in the women's 5000-meter run and each hit a national mark. Dala ran a 17:32.05, good enough for eighth overall, while Romero finished ninth with a time of 17:39.31. The Lady Texans' 4x400 relay team made up of Hughes, Agrocquah, Moody, and McDonald hit a national mark and placed sixth with a time of 3:45.65.
South Plains will return to action on Feb. 16 in Lubbock at the 2018 Texas Tech Qualifier at the Texas Tech Sports Performance Center, their final regular season meet before the 2018 NJCAA Indoor National Championships which begin March 2 at the Texas Tech Sports Performance Center.