Jammed packed with NCAA Division I programs, the Barton Community College track and field team held their own this weekend in Lincoln, Nebraska, competing in the 44th Annual Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational hosted by the University of Nebraska.

The NJCAA top ranked women's team blistered the traditionally slower Bob Devaney Sports Center indoor track with fourteen personal and season bests while adding two new additions to their national championship qualifier list. The Cougar men, who sit No. 2 in the latest NJCAA rankings, set four new personal bests with eight performances within the top eight of the meet.

Barton will now turn its attention to post-season with a two week break before heading to Pittsburg, Kansas, for the Region VI/KJCCC Championships held February 15-16.

The meet's final race always provides excitement to end the competition, and the Cougars shined with third place finishes on both the women's and men's side while increasing their top ranked NJCAA times in the process. For the women, the tandem of Nijah Roberson, Christal Mosley, Cadeebra Calcote, and Azan Sargusingh bettered the squad's season best by eight seconds in clocking a 3:44.70 to lead the nation by ten seconds. The Cougar men were equally impressive as Kyle Mason, Jr., Davonte Burnett, Dartez Hamlin, and Kenroy Williams passed the baton ten seconds better than previous races for a 3:11.48 to maintain the nation's top spot.

Barton came away with an individual champion as French Guiana sophomore Deborah Giffard beat the big schools with a 7.38 clocking to win the 60m title by .05 seconds to leap over teammate T'Nia Riley for the NJCAA's top time this year.

As been the case in each of the Cougars' indoor meets this season, the school record books were in play throughout numerous events and the weekend was of no exception. In addition to Giffard landing just outside the program's top ten, Riley's third place 200m finish did put her name in the top eight of the book as the Minnesota freshman recorded a 23.99 time to take over the NJCAA's top spot as four of the five Cougars entered in the event recorded personal bests.

The middle distance runners also had a solid weekend with four of the five entries erasing their previous best. Williams had the best Cougar men individual finish by tying his record in the 600m with a runner-up 1:19.63 clocking. In the 800m, Nathan Hood also tied his best in a eighth place 1:52.66 time while the women's Calcote placed tenth in 2:15.43 with Shanique Masters joining the trio of bests with a 27th placing 2:21.72.

The two new national qualifiers came from the women's side as Isheena Belnavis' first time on the track as a Cougar joined six other Barton 60m qualifiers by stopping the clock at 7.85. Janeia Wren joined Yoveinny Mota and Aquila St. Louis on the Cougars' 60m hurdle list as the Hutchinson native clocked a 9.14 in placing 24th in the meet. Mota, who posted a preliminary round sixth best time of 8.58, tangled with the hurdles in the finals to place 8th overall.

Also in the hurdles, after recording a 6th best prelim time of 8.01, Stephon Torrence actually moved up the standings to fifth in the final round despite posting a hiccup slower 8.05 time.

Complete Barton Women's Results:
60m: Deborah Giffard (CHAMPION, PR 7.38 *Top time in NJCAA); Kaytie Black (10th, 7.67), Anitria Sangster (21st, PR 7.78), Sharikae Campbell (23rd, 7.78), Isheena Belnavis (27th, 7.85 *1st time **National Qualifier)
200m: T'Nia Riley (3rd, PR 23.99 *NJCAA top time **School Top-8 all-time), Nijah Roberson (15th, PR 25.069), Kaytie Black (16th, PR 25.070), Sharikae Campbell (17th, Tied PR 25.12), Anitria Sangster (23rd, PR 25.31), Isheena Belnavis (31st, 25.75 *1st Time)
400m: Christal Mosely (3rd, PR 55.51), Nijah Roberson (12th, SB 56.88), Azan Sargusingh (18th, PR 57.51)
800m: Cadeebra Calcote (10th, PR 2:15.43), Shanique Masters (27th, PR 2:21.72)
60m Hurdles: Yoveinny Mota (8th, 8.58 Prelims), Janeia Wren (24th, PR/NQ 9.14)
4x400m Relay: 3rd, SB 3:44.70 *NJCAA top time (Nijah Roberson, Christal Mosley, Cadeebra Calcote, and Azan Sargusingh)
Long Jump: Arianna Hayde (5.54m, 18-02.25)
Shot Put: Latavia Maines (8th, 15.06m, 49-05.00)
Weight Throw: Kameliah Style (28th, 15.90m, 52-02.00)

Complete Barton Men's Results:
60m: Deondre Spruill (9th, 6.907 *Misses finals by .004 seconds)
200m: Davonte Burnett (6th, PR 21.36), Dartez Hamlin (7th, 21.37)
400m: Kyle Mason, Jr. 11th, (49.27), Adriano Gumbs (15th, 49.54)
600m: Kenroy Williams (2nd, Tied PR 1:19.63)
800m: Nathan Hood (8th, Tied PR 1:52.66), Tallan James (27th, 1:58.38)
60m Hurdles: Stephon Torrence (5th, 8.01 Prelims); Tahj Whitfield (10th, 8.277), Deshaun Jones (11th, 8.280)
4x400m Relay: 3rd, SB 3:11.48 *NJCAA top time (Kyle Mason, Jr., Davonte Burnett, Dartez Hamlin, Kenroy Williams)
Long Jump: Timothy Wilson (13th, 6.84m, 22-05.25), Tyrone Treadwell (14th, 6.82m, 22-04.50)
Triple Jump: Timothy Wilson (6th, 14.13m, 46-04.25), Tyrone Treadwell (7th, 13.81m, 45-03.75)
High Jump: Jermaine Francis (11th, 2.05m, 6-08.75)
Shot Put: Kevin Nedrick (11th, 16.14m, 52-11.50), Logan Carroll (15th, 15.25m, 50-00.50 *Personal best by nearly 3-feet)
Weight Throw: Alencar Pereira (10th, 18.19m, 59-09.25), Phillipe Barnett (12th, 17.89m, 58-08.50)

Complete 44th Annual Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational results