LEXINGTON, Va. --- The Tusculum University men's and women's track and field teams advanced a total of six runners into the finals of the 60 meters during qualifying on Friday at the VMI Invitational, held at the Corps Physical Training Facility.
The two men's and four women's qualifiers in the 60 meters will compete along with a host of Pioneers on the second and final day of the meet, which begins at 9 a.m. Saturday.
MEN'S RECAP
Freshman Mica Ruffin and junior Isaiah Olson advanced to the finals of the 60 meters, with Ruffin running 6.82 and placing third in prelims and 6.79 and fourth in the semifinals. Olson, who was sixth in prelims at 6.88 seconds, followed up with a 6.80 in the semifinals to place fifth and advance to Saturday's final.
Moving from prelims to the semifinals in the 60 were freshmen Jaylen Scott, who took ninth in the semis at 6.90 seconds, and Jonathan Harris who was 19th in the semifinals at 6.97 seconds. Freshman John Ross was Tusculum's top runner in the 300 meters, placing 18th overall at 39.12 seconds.
Tusculum placed fifth in the 4x800 relay, with the team of grad student Dorian Craven, senior Xay Bogus, freshman Levi Carson and senior Landen Locklear running in 8:29.87.
WOMEN'S RECAP
The Pioneers advanced all seven entrants out of preliminaries in the 60 meters, then moved four on to Saturday's finals. Junior Jahzara Hart is the top seed at 7.44 seconds, and will be joined in the finals by fellow juniors Shanice Cox, who was fourth at 7.61 seconds, Kiera Taylor, who placed seventh in 7.66 seconds, and Theresa Green-White who qualified eighth in 7.68 seconds.
Green-White qualified second for Saturday's finals in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.66 seconds, just .02 off her school record, with freshman Kori Moore qualifying third with a season-best time of 8.74 seconds.
In the 300 meters, four of Tusculum's five finishers broke the school record of 42.39 seconds set last season by Taylor. Cox took second place at 40.01 seconds, followed by More in fifth at 40.94, Shelton in seventh at 41.52 and Taylor in eighth at 41.52.
VMI Invitational - Day 1 of 2
Tusculum results
MEN
60 prelims: 3. Mica Ruffin, 6.82 (advances); 6. Isaiah Olson, 6.88 (advances); 14. Jaylen Scott, 6.96 (advances); 17. Jonathan Harris, 6.98 (advances); 34. Joshua Stephens, 7.10; 50. Kayvon Pickett, 7.21; 67. John Ross, 7.56; 69. Noah Girard, 7.58.
60 semis: 4. Mica Ruffin, 6.79 (advances); 5. Isaiah Olson, 6.80 (advances); 9. Jaylen Scott, 6.90; 19. Jonathan Harris, 6.97.
300: 18. John Ross, 36.35; 38. Benit Kitapindu, 39.12.
4x800: 5. Tusculum (Craven, Bogus, Carson, Locklear), 8:29.87.
WOMEN
60 prelims: 1. Jahzara Hart, 7.54 (advances); 4. Theresa Green-White, 7.69 (advances); 5. Shanice Cox, 7.71 (advances); 6. Kiera Taylor, 7.72 (advances); 11. A'jaylah Yates, 7.99 (advances); 13. Qitarah Castlin, 7.78 (advances); 14. Alonda Shelton, 7.83 (advances).
60 semis: 1. Jahzara Hart, 7.44 (advances); 4. Shanice Cox, 7.61 (advanves); 7. Kiera Taylor, 7.66 (advances); 8. Theresa Green-White, 7.68 (advances); 11. Qitarah Castlin, 7.76; 13. Alonda Shelton, 7.87; 20. A'jaylah Yates, 7.97.
60 hurdles prelims: 2. Theresa Green-White, 8.77 (advances); 3. Kori Moore, 8.83 (advances); 30. Kieley Smith, 9.90; 40. Eva Tolliver, 10.74.
60 hurdles semis: 2. Theresa Green-White, 8.66 (advances); 3. Kori Moore, 8.74 (advances).
300: 2. Shanice Cox, 40.01 (school record); 5. Kori Moore, 40.94; 7. Alonda Shelton, 41.52; 8. Kiera Taylor, 41.52; 29. Alayna Suitte, 47.23.
Long jump: 17. Agustina Dittrich, 5.06m (16-7 1/4).
