Fourth Shorter Invitational returns to Barron

The Latest Local News from the Rome News

Nearly 600 athletes representing men’s and women’s track teams from 24 colleges and universities will gather at Barron Stadium and the Riverside Throws Center on Saturday when the 4th annual Shorter Invitational takes place.

“We’re very excited and blessed to have so many teams and student-athletes coming to Rome to compete,” Shorter head coach Scott Byrd said about this year’s day-long Invitational that begins at 10 a.m., “and we’re looking forward to hosting them.

“This is the time of year when teams want to see their athletes begin making strides forward,” he said, “to prepare for their conference and postseason meets that aren’t that far away.”

Joining host Shorter includes fellow Gulf South Conference members Alabama-Huntsville, Lee and West Georgia as well as a talented group of NAIA and Division III teams, including Rome’s other NCAA program, Berry College.

Shorter enters the meet having grabbed the attention of the nation on the wake of an historic appearance at the NCAA Division II National Indoor Championships – this is the first year the university is eligible to compete in NCAA postseason events – and a solid showing in the Hawks’ and Lady Hawks’ first outdoor outing last week when the team divided to run in two premier meets.

Taking the John Maddox Track at Barron for the first time this year will be Lady Hawk Ayana Walker, who Shorter’s first-ever NCAA national champion when she won the national indoor 400 meters breaking the tape in 53.29 seconds.

While Walker was claiming gold and the accompanying NCAA All-America honor, the Hawks were well-represented as well at the national meet as Alfred Chelanga took a fourth-place finish in the 3,000 with a time of 8:05.10 – the lone freshman in the field led the race of veteran runners with three laps to go – to become the program’s first male athlete to earn NCAA All-America recognition.

Both runners took last week off when Shorter began its outdoor season, but the men and women who took part in the Alabama Relays in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and at the Emory Invitational in Atlanta turned in strong performances.

At the Alabama Relays running in a field that included Division I programs, Ashley Ballard and Kemor Anderson provided sixth-place finishes, respectively, while Hawks Christian Smith, Wake Roberds, Cole Rice and Gregory Roachford, Jr. combined to post a fifth-place in the 4×400 relay.

Also turning in top 10 finishes for the Hawks in Tuscaloosa was Rice (400), Roberds (400 hurdles), Supun Randeniya (110 high hurdles), Bradley Moon (100) and Roachford (400 open).

At Emory, Breondra Steele emerged as the women’s high jump champion when she bested the field by clearing the bar at 5 feet, 3 inches to lead the Lady Hawks in the field, where teammate Anelise Aldana also had a strong outing by finishing seventh in the long jump going 16-10.5, and on the oval Jasmin Ellis earned a fifth place in the 400 with a time of 59.38.

Daniel Alexis had an outstanding two-event day at Emory, finishing third in the hammer throw with a throw of 131-5 and fifth in the discus with a heave that went 135-10; Jonathan Willman was seventh in the long jump going 21-9; and Lane Fletcher was eighth in the pole vault with a 12-1 effort.

“We know we’ll be going up against some great athletes this weekend,” said Byrd, “but we have to concentrate on what we do to continue to work harder. The best thing is that after being on the road for so long (during three-month indoor season) it’s nice to finally be at home.”

The Invitational, presented by Coach O Management of Knoxville, Tenn., is the first of three home meets Shorter will host during the outdoor season. On May 1-2, Barron will be the site of the National Christian College Athletic Association National Outdoor Championships for the second straight year and on May 15-16 The Coach O Last Chance Invite will be held.

Following this weekend’s meet, Shorter will turn its attention to one of most notable events in the nation on April 2-4 when the Hawks and Lady Hawks head to Gainesville, Fla., to run in the Florida Pepsi Relays.

Source: Rome News

The post Fourth Shorter Invitational returns to Barron appeared first on My Web Pal.

from My Web Pal http://ift.tt/1F2ROTy

via http://ift.tt/16tBHl4