LOUISVILLE, Ky. --- The Tusculum University men's and women's indoor track and field teams began the 2024-25 season on Saturday by competing in the Commonwealth College Opener at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center.

In the men's meet, senior Joshua Stephens shattered his previous personal best and won the long jump, while also setting a career best en route to second place inthe triple jump. In women's competition, junior Jahzara Hart swept the 60 and 200 meters and set program records in both events as the Pioneers had 14 individual performances place among the top eight finishers in their respective events.

The Pioneers will be back on the track on Friday-Saturday, January 17-18 at the Vanderbilt Invitational.

MEN'S RECAP
Stephens entered the day with a career best of 6.66 meters (21 feet, 10 1/4 inches) in the long jump set last season. In the event, he was ranked 11th after his first two attempts in the long jump, then came up with a career-best mark of 6.83 meters (22 feet, 5 inches) on his final try to move into third place heading into finals.

In the long jump finals, Stephens was in fourth place heading into his last jump, where he leaped 7.23 meters (23 feet, 8 3/4 inches) to set a PR by nearly two feet and break the school record of 6.93 meters (22 feet, 9 inches) set in 2019 by Guillaume Devries, which was the second-oldest indoor record in program history.

Stephens followed up in the triple jump with a leap of 14.83 meters (48 feet, 8 inches) in his third attempt, the fourth-best mark in program history and ahead of his previous personal best of 14.40 meters (47 feet, 3 inches) set at last year's SAC Championship. Stephens ended up second in the event behind Camron Hamby of Campbellsville, who was measured at 15.34 meters (50 feet, 4 inches).

Freshman Mica Ruffin made an immediate impact in his Tusculum debut, finishing second in the 60 meters at 6.75 seconds and sixth in the 200 meters at 22.01 seconds. His 60 time ranks third on the Tusculum performance list and his 200 time ranks him fifth in program history.

Sophomore Lansford Cunningham placed fifth in the 300 meters at 34.64 seconds, the second-best time in program history, and also broke the long jump record as he finished third behind Stephens at 7.06 meters (23 feet, 2 inches). Junior Adrian Gumm was third in the shot put with a top mark of 14.88 meters (48 feet, 10 inches).

Junior Isaiah Olson took fourth in the 60 meters with a career-best time of 6.80 seconds, freshman Levi Carson was 10th in the 1000 meters at 2:49.11, and sophomore Simon Ray was third in the mile at 4:57.63 and 12th in the 3000 meters at 9:53.13.

WOMEN'S RECAP
Hart ran 7.45 in the semifinals of the 60 meters to break the program record of 7.62 seconds set by A'jaylah Yates at the VMI Invitational on Jan. 26, 2024, then ran 7.37 seconds in the finals to take the victory over teammate Shanice Cox, who was fifth in the semifinals at 7.69 seconds but ran 7.57 in the finals. Junior Kiera Taylor was sixth in a career-best 7.64 seconds, junior Theresa Green-White took seventh in 7.70 seconds and freshman Qitarah Castlin placed eighth in 7.70 seconds.

Hart, Cox and Taylor all broke the program record in the 200 meters, with Hart taking first in 24.42 followed by Cox in third in 24.53 and Taylor fourth in 24.66. Sophomore Alonda Shelton, who set the old record of 25.18 seconds at the VMI Winter Relays on Feb. 3, 2024, placed seventh in 25.22 seconds.

Green-White finished third in the 60 hurdles at 8.73 seconds, while freshman Kori Moore was fifth in 8.82 seconds for the fourth-best time in program history.

Grad student Megan Humiston placed fourth in the 800 meters at 2:55.31, while grad student Tashianna Gray was seventh in the 1000 (3:21.89) followed by grad student Alayna Suitte in eighth at 3:34.25. Grad student Eva Tolliver moved into seventh on the program performance list in the 300 meters with a time of 45.22 seconds.

The Pioneer 4x400 relay of Taylor, Hart, Cox and Gray took fifth place in 3:59.95, ranking eighth overall at Tusculum and fifth on the performance list, while the B team of Castlin, Shelton, Moore and Tolliver took eighth in 4:09.07.

Commonwealth College Opener
at Louisville, Kentucky
Tusculum results
MEN
60 prelims: 21. Kayvon Pickett, 7.25; 35. Noah Girard, 7.48; 40. John Ross, 7.57.
60 semis: 3. Mica Ruffin, 6.81 (advances); 6. Isaiah Olson, 6.82 (advances); 9. Jaylen Scott, 6.86; 23. Joshua Stephens, 7.03; 26. Jonathan Harris, 7.04.
60 finals: 2. Mica Ruffin, 6.75; 4. Isaiah Olson, 6.80.
200: 6. Mica Ruffin, 22.01; 24. Jaylen Scott, 22.86.
300: 5. Lansford Cunningham, 34.64; 10. Dorian Craven, 35.31; 29. Jonathan Harris, 37.31; 31. John Ross, 37.40; 33. Kayvon Pickett, 38.06.
600: 16. Landen Locklear, 1:29.73.
1000. 7. Levi Carson, 2:49.11.
Mile: 3. Simon Ray, 4:57.63.
3000: 12. Simon Ray, 9:53.13.
4x400: 8. Tusculum A (Craven, Cunningham, Locklear, Harris), 3:24.14; 13. Tusculum B (Pickett, Ruffin, Scott, Ross), 3:38.02.
Long jump: 1. Joshua Stephens, 7.23m (23-8 3/4) (school record); 3. Lansford Cunningham, 7.06m (23-2).
Triple jump: 2. Joshua Stephens, 14.83m (48-8).
Shot put: 3. Adrian Gumm, 14.88m (48-10).

WOMEN
60 prelims: 2. Kori Moore, 7.87 (advances); 12. Jada Martin, 8.30; 15. Agustina Dittrich, 8.41.
60 semis: 1. Jahzara Hart, 7.45 (advances); 4. Theresa Green-White, 7.66 (advances); 5. Shanice Cox, 7.69 (advances); 7. Qitarah Castlin, 7.72 (advances); 8. Kiera Taylor, 7.74 (advances); 9. Alonda Shelton, 7.74; 19. Kori Moore, 7.94.
60 finals: 1. Jahzara Hart, 7.37 (school record); 2. Shanice Cox, 7.57; 6. Kiera Taylor, 7.64; 7. Theresa Green-White, 7.70; 8. Qitarah Castlin, 7.70.
60 hurdles semis: 3. Theresa Green-White, 8.83 (advances); 7. Kori Moore, 8.92 (advances); 17. Kieley Smith, 9.91; 19. Eva Tolliver, 10.76.
60 hurdles finals: 3. Theresa Green-White, 8.73; 5. Kori Moore, 8.82.
200: 1. Jahzara Hart, 24.42 (school record); 3. Shanice Cox, 24.53; 4. Kiera Taylor, 24.66; 7. Alonda Shelton, 25.22; 10. Qitarah Castlin, 25.40.
300: 18. Eva Tolliver, 45.22.
800: 4. Megan Humiston, 2:55.31.
1000: 7. Tashianna Gray, 3:21.89; 8. Alayna Suitte, 3:34.25.
4x400: 5. Tusculum A (Taylor, Hart, Cox, Gray), 3:59.95; 8. Tusculum B (Castlin, Shelton, Moore, Tolliver), 4:09.07.
Long jump: 11. Agustina Dittrich, 4.99m (16-4 1/2); 12. Kieley Smith, 4.98m (16-4 1/4).
High jump: 14. Kieley Smith, 1.37m (4-6); 16. Agustina Dittrich, 1.32m (4-4).