CHARLOTTE, N.C. (March 17, 2019) – Howard University men's & women's track and field squads competed at the Charlotte 49er Classic where six Bison punched their tickets to the 2019 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Outdoor Championships in Greensboro, N.C.
Junior
Oluchi Ike (Upper Marlboro, Md.) highlighted the day after winning the women's 400-meter hurdles (1:01.75) and qualifying for Greensboro. Last weekend, she also made the cut in the 400-meter dash.
Sophomore
Jessika Gbai (Philadelphia) and freshman
Kennedy Lewis (Atlanta) also punched their tickets in the women's 100-meter dash. Gbai (11.96) and Lewis (11.97) finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the event.
Third-year runner
Sydney Benson (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) added her name to the list with a 2:14.41 mark in the women's 800-meter run.
Another notable runner featured junior
Uchechi Onuoha (Yardly, Pa.) placing second in the women's 100-meter hurdles (14.19).
In the field, senior
Mi-ah Watkins (Bronx, N.Y.) and
Diana Effiom competed in the women's hammer throw. A week ago, Effiom qualified in the event; however, set a new personal best this week (41.17m; 135'). For Watkins, the New York native made Greensboro, tossing nearly 145 feet (44.14m).
Second-year jumper
Rachel Edler (Stone Mountain, Ga.) qualified for the championship season after leaping almost 39 feet (11.80m) in the women's triple jump.
Senior
Lauryn Galloway (East Brunswick, N.J.) placed 14
th overall in the women's javelin, throwing over 117 feet (35.75m).
On the men's side, newcomer
Mekhi Abbott (Monroe, N.J.) took part in the javelin where they threw nearly 155 feet (47.10m).
Next weekend, the Bison will split into two groups. On March 21-22, a team will travel to Jacksonville, Fla. for the Spring Break Invitational, hosted by North Florida. The other squad goes to Columbia, S.C. for the Weems Baskins Invitational, hosted by South Carolina.
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at
www.HUBison.com.
