The Barton Community College women's track and field team added eight more national qualifiers to its list competing this past weekend in Canyon, Texas, in the Jo Meaker Classic & Multi hosted by West Texas A&M University.
Taking advantage when possible of occasional high wind conditions, the 3rd ranked Cougars posted fifteen personal or season bests as five first-time event entries came away with four of Barton's new national qualifying performances.
Among those making the most of the opportunity, Ashantae Harvey not only competed in the 400m hurdles, but surpassed national qualifying standards in recording a program top-five best time of 59.17. The effort earned second place as teammate and school record holder Lashanna Graham took the event on a season best 59.03 as the duo now occupies the top two spots of the season's NJCAA performances. Graham also took the 400m title, clocking a personal best and qualifying time of 55.00 to rank 4th behind Harvey's third slot on the national leaderboard.
Harvey also entered the 200m all-conditions program record book, clocking an event and personal best 3rd place time of 23.52. Joining Harvey as new national qualifiers in the event, Naiya Morgan's best time of 24.10 punched her ticket in finishing 10th as Jayda Dillon, who is already qualified, placed 6th on a season improvement 23.76 time. Dillon also led the trio in the shorter 100m dash, bettering her national qualifying time to 11.61 in placing 3rd while Harvey and Morgan took on the event for the first time, each reaching national standards with an 11.66 and 11.89 placing 7th and 8th respectively.
Danae Nembhard rounded out the first time event entries punching their national ticket, clocking a 13.91 time in placing 3rd in the 100m hurdles.
The hammer throw trio of the current 2nd, 3rd, and 4th on the national qualifying list also shined on Saturday, posting personal bests as each marked program all-time top ten efforts. Jada Sewell led the group with a 51.07m distance, Efe Latham next at 49.98m, and Ariana Rodriguez marking a 48.33m, placing the trio in the 7th through 9th placings in Saturday's event. One day earlier in Friday's competition, Latham reached a javelin personal best, placing 2nd on a 38.77m throw to add the event on her national qualifying list.
Barton will have couple weeks away from competition before heading to Norman, Oklahoma, for the John Jacobs Invitational held April 22-23.
Barton Women Results:
100m: 3rd Jayda Dillon (PB 11.61 *Already Nationally Qualified); 5th Ashantae Harvey (NQ 11.66 *1st Time); 8th Naiya Morgan (NQ 11.89 *1st time)
100m Hurdles: 3rd Danae Nembhard (NQ 13.91 *1st Time); 9th Deborah Lowe (15.15 *1st Time)
200m: 3rd Ashantae Harvey (NQ/PB 23.52 *T-10 Program History All-Conditions); 6th Jayda Dillon (PB 23.76 *Already NQ); 10th Naiya Morgan (NQ/PB 24.10); 18th Ida Seesay (PB 25.05); 21st Deborah Lowe (PB 25.26)
400m: 1st Lashanna Graham (NQ/SB 55.00)
400m Hurdles: 1st Lashanna Graham (SB 59.03 *Already NQ); 2nd Ashantae Harvey (NQ 59.17 *1st Time **Program Top-5 time)
Long Jump: 13th Ida Seesay (5.39m *Already NQ); 18th Malama Toure (PB 5.19m); 23rd Deborah Lowe (PB 4.98m)
Discus Throw: 8th Jada Sewell (36.57m *Already NQ); 10th Lillian Thomas (PB 36.15m)
Hammer Throw: 7th Jada Sewell (PB 51.07m); 8th Efe Latham (PB 49.98m); 9th Ariana Rodriguez (PB 48.33m) *All 3 Nationally Qualified **All 3 with program Top-10 Throws
Javelin: 2nd Efe Latham (NQ/PB 38.77m); 17th Lillian Thomas (26.60m)
Shot Put: 4th Kelsie Murrell-Ross (14.51m *Already NQ); 9th Efe Latham (PB 12.21m)