GREENSBORO, N.C. (May 4, 2019) – Howard University women's track and field team took fourth overall at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Outdoor Championships after registering 67 points throughout the three-day event, held at Irvin Belk Track on the campus of North Carolina A&T State.
 
Senior Lauryn Galloway (East Brunswick, N.J.) and junior Oluchi Ike (Upper Marlboro, Md.) headlined the day by winning their respective events.
 
Galloway started the day with a new school record in the javelin, tossing over 137 feet (41.83 meters) while scoring 10 points for HU.
 
"Lauryn Galloway really got things off on the right foot for us in the first event," said Howard Director of Track & Field David Oliver. "[She] won her first title in the javelin after throwing a massive personal best, which was a school record."
 
The New Jersey native shattered a three-year mark, which landed her on the All-MEAC First Team. Furthermore, Galloway qualified for the 2019 Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Outdoor Championships in Princeton, N.J.
 
Ike's dominance in the 400-meter hurdles carried over into Championship Saturday where she won the race with a new season-best (58.28). The Maryland product tallied 10 points while being named to the All-MEAC First Team.
 
"Today truly met the expectations I had coming into Championship Saturday," Director Oliver continued. "We came out of this meet on the women's side with a few efforts that have us slotted to make the NCAA Championships First Round in Jacksonville [Fla.]. That's the type of program I envision on building, one that can make some noise on the national stage."
 
With Ike's efforts, she has the 11^th fastest mark in the East Region.
 
After setting a new school record in the 200-meter dash, sophomore Jessika Gbai (Philadelphia) placed fifth in the finals, clocking in at 23.68. Despite Saturday's outcome, the Philly native has a shot to make the NCAA East Regionals. Currently, she is ranked 33^rd in the East Region.
 
Sophomore Ozioma Scott (Georgetown, Guyana) scored four points for HU after running a 53.57 in the 400-meter dash. With her performance, she sits 31^st in the East Region.
 
The 4x400 relay squad of Gbai, Ike, Scott and junior Sydney Benson (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) made All-MEAC Second Team after finishing runner-up with a season-best mark of 3:37.38. As a result, the four Bison rank 19^th in the East Region.
 
Benson and freshman Melanie White (Orlando, Fla.) competed in the 800-meter run, finishing fifth (2:11.64) and seventh (2:16.63), respectively, while combining for six points in the race.
 
Gbai, alongside junior Uchechi Onuoha (Yardly, Pa.), sophomore Ameenah Saalih (Willingboro, N.J.) and newcomer Kennedy Lewis (Atlanta) ran the 4x100 where they placed fifth (46.41) while scoring four points.
 
Individually, Onuoha recorded four points for the Bison after taking part in the 100-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles. She placed sixth (13.74) and eighth (1:04.63), respectively.
 
Second-year distance runner Destiny Stanford (Woolwhich Township, N.J.) set a new school mark in the 1500-meter run, eclipsing her previous record by a second (4:38.30) while finishing fifth overall.
 
In the field, sophomore jumper Rachel Edler (Stone Mountain, Ga.) earned sixth in the triple jump after leaping a season-best (12.01 meters; 39 feet). Furthermore, she registered three points and qualified for the ECAC Outdoor Championships.
 
North Carolina A&T State women won the 2019 MEAC Outdoor title for the second time in three years, third overall.
 
To view the complete results from the 2019 MEAC Outdoor Championships, please click here.
 
For Howard, they jumped two spots from a year ago.
 
"It's going to be incredibly difficult to finish first in the MEAC as a team," Director Oliver continued. "But we've got to keep fighting to get there. The women increased our point total from 45 and a sixth-place finish [a year ago] to 67 and a fourth-place slot [this year]."
 
After the meet, Director Oliver thanked all his seniors for their commitment to the program.
 
"I'm very happy for all the seniors who stuck it out, stayed focused and came thru in the clutch," said Director Oliver. "They all contributed points in this championship and Howard's track and field team will always be thankful for their services."
 
Howard women who contributed included Galloway and Mi-ah Watkins (Bronx, N.Y.), who tallied four points in the hammer throw after tossing a season-best (46.49 meters; 152 feet).
 
"The track and field program is heading in the right direction," Director Oliver concluded. "But we've still got a long way to go to get to the program that I envision us becoming."
 
On May 11-12, Director Oliver and the Bison travel to Princeton, N.J. for the IC4A/ECAC Championships, hosted by Princeton University.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.