The 5th ranked Barton Community College women's track and field team added eight more national qualifiers to its list competing this past weekend in Canyon, Texas, at the Jo Meaker Classic & Multi hosted by West Texas A&M University.

Led by multi-event athlete Ana Couto's Top-10 program impact, the Cougars' national bids were among nineteen personal or season bests and twenty top ten placings in the three-day event.

The meet began on Thursday with the heptathlon, Couto leading four Cougar entries with a 2nd place as each landed in the season's NJCAA current top ten performers of the event.

Couto began her grueling two-day, seven-event trek with a national qualifying 14.16 time for second place in the 100m hurdles, adding a first place in the shot put and a pair of second placings to pile up 5117 total points for the 7th most in program history.

Prentiss posted a pair of personal best efforts towards a 5th place 4356 points, Presulme recorded four personal bests in accumulating 3701 points for 8th place, and Carson chalked up a trio of personal achievements for 3614 total points in placing 10th.

In addition to Couto, the Cougars had six second place finishes at the meet: Oarabile Tshosa's 11.46 100m national qualifying time, Naiya Morgan's personal best 23.57 to better her national qualified time, Brittania Ingram also exceeding her triple jump personal best with a 12.29 national qualifying mark, and Jazmine Williamson's runner-up in the high jump with a 1.67m in coming up short of her already qualified height.

The Cougars also clocked national qualifying relay times, the 4x100m crew of Antiana Walsh, Morgan, Deborah Lowe, and Tshosa clocking a 45.94 third place time to punch their national tandem ticket. Barton's 4x400m tandem was already qualified but on Saturday the lineup of Walsh, Lowe, Danae Nembhard, and Tshosa circled the oval in 3:53.18 for a second place meet finish.

Kelsie Murrell-Ross was the lone individual event winner of the weekend, marking a 15.71m shot put throw with Treneese Hamilton finishing runner-up at 14.86m. Murrell-Ross added a runner-up to the weekend performance in the discus on a season best 45.68m as Hamilton placed fourth with a personal best 40.76m.  In the hammer throw, Hamilton took 11th on a personal best 41.04m mark with Murrell-Ross 13th at 39.82m.

Barton's other national qualifiers were Walsh's personal best 11.71 100m time to finish sixth and her 24.46 200m time for an 11th placing and Kay-Lagay Clarke's 4th place 14.25 110m hurdle time.

Additional personal best efforts: Karina Herrera's 1500m 5:35.92 time for 4th place, Clarke's 8th place long jump of 5.83m to better her qualifying mark, Hamilton's 41.04m 11th place hammer throw, and Lillian Thomas' season best 36.3m mark in the discus to place 10th.

Barton stays in-state for its next meet competing April 22nd at the Midwest Classic in Emporia.

Barton Women Results:
100m: 2nd Oarabile Tshosa (NQ 11.46), 6th Antiana Walsh (PB NQ 11.71)
100m Hurdles: 4th Kay-Lagay Clarke (NQ 14.25)
200m: 2nd Naiya Morgan (PB 23.57 *Already NQ), 11th Antiana Walsh (NQ 24.46), 25th Deborah Lowe (25.79)
1500m: 4th Karina Herrera (PB 5:35.92)
4x100m Relay: 3rd 45.94 *NQ (Antiana Walsh, Naiya Morgan, Deborah Lowe, Oarabile Tshosa)
4x400m Relay: 2nd 3:53.18 *Already NQ (Antiana Walsh, Deborah Lowe, Danae Nembhard, Oarabile Tshosa)
Long Jump: 3rd Jazmine Williamson (PB NQ 6.13m), 8th Kay-Lagay Clarke (PB 5.83m *Already NQ)
Triple Jump: 2nd Brittania Ingram (PB NQ 12.29m)
High Jump: 2nd Jazmine Williamson (1.67m *Already NQ)
Hammer Throw: 11th Treneese Hamilton (PB 41.04m), 13th Kelsie Murrell-Ross (39.82 *Already NQ)
Discus Throw: 2nd Kelsie Murrell-Ross (SB 45.68m *Already NQ, **Already has program 10th best throw), 4th Treneese Hamilton (PB 40.76m), 10th Lillian Thomas (SB 36.03m)
Shot Put: 1st Kelsie Murrell-Ross (15.71m *Already NQ), 2nd Treneese Hamilton (14.86m *Already NQ), 7th Efe Latham (12.61m), 14th Lillian Thomas (11.13m)
Heptathlon:
2nd Ana Couto (5117 points *7th most in program history)
- 100m Hurdles: 2nd (NQ 14.16 *1st Time)
- High Jump: T-6th (1.50m)
- Shot Put: 1st (12.45m)
- 200m: 2nd (25.43)
- Long Jump: 4th (5.52m)
- Javelin: 2nd (34.02m *1st Time in event)
- 800m: 3rd (2:26.15)
5th Kayleigh Prentiss (4256 points)
- 100m Hurdles: 6th (15.40 *1st Time)
- High Jump: T-6th (1.50m)
- Shot Put: 4th (PB 9.78m)
- 200m: 4th (25.95)
- Long Jump: 8th (5.11m)
- Javelin: 6th (24.99m *1st Time in event)
- 800m: 9th (PB 2:41.43)
8th Ahniesha Presulme (3701 points)
- 100m Hurdles: 7th (PB 15.51)
- High Jump: 11th (1.26m)
- Shot Put: 7th (PB 9.18m)
- 200m: 8th (27.14)
- Long Jump: 3rd (PB 5.57m)
- Javelin: 10th (21.33m *1st Time in event)
- 800m: 11th (PB 3:02.01)
10th Jasmine Carson (3614 points)
- 100m Hurdles: 9th (PB 16.11)
- High Jump: T-6th (1.50m)
- Shot Put: 9th (PB 9.00m)
- 200m: 11th (27.85)
- Long Jump: 6th (PB 5.22m)
- Javelin: 12th (19.73m *1st Time in event)
- 800m: 12th (3:09.65)