BLACKSBURG, Va. & LANDOVER, Md. (January 18, 2020) – Howard University women's track & field competed in a pair of meets over the weekend at the Virginia Tech Invitational (Jan. 17-18), hosted by the Hokies, and the Terrapin Invitational (Jan. 18), hosted by Maryland.
 
Throughout the weekend, HU displayed solid performances on the track and field.
 
"I feel it is very important to put us in pressure filled situations and that is exactly what the meet at Virginia Tech did for us," said Howard Director of Track & Field David Oliver regarding the team's performance in Blacksburg. "Experience is the best educator, [and] we have several student-athletes that are at the NCAA Preliminary Round level and beyond. We shouldn't be waiting until the postseason to gain this type of pressure packed experience."
 
Senior Sydney Benson (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.), freshman Dasia Wilson (Philadelphia) and sophomore Melanie White (Orlando, Fla.) highlighted the day, sweeping the event with first (2:16.13), second (2:16.27) and third (2:16.38) place finishes, respectively.
 
"Sydney [Benson] showed great senior leadership," Director Oliver added. "The way she pushed the pace and brought them [Dasia Wilson and Melanie White] through. They really stepped up."
 
Benson and White join Wilson in Landover for the 2020 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Indoor Championships.
 
"We got several personal best and new MEAC indoor qualifiers," Director Oliver continued. "Oluchi [Ike] and Ozi [Ozioma Scott] both ran indoor personal bests in the 400 meters, this was a great start for their 2020 season."
 
Senior Oluchi Ike (Upper Marlboro, Md.) and junior Ozioma Scott (Guyana, Georgetown), 2019 NCAA participants, finished fourth (56.29) and sixth (56.91), respectively, in the women's 400-meter dash.
 
Other notable performance in Blacksburg was sophomore Ja'Tae Joyner (Bowie, Md.) punching her ticket to Landover in the women's triple jump, leaping 11.72 meters (38'5.5").
 
In Maryland, the team had several throwers compete, led by Danny Stokes.
 
"Coach Danny Stokes took his squad to Maryland and got some really quality work done," Director Oliver continued. "Kaylah added another [MEAC] qualifier in the weight throw, while Diana [Effiom] and Symone [Marsh] maintained their high quality results in the event. We banked several personal best marks and had very successful throws [in Landover]."
 
Sophomore Diana Effiom (Dallas), freshman Symone Marsh (Hillsborough, N.J.) and junior Kaylah Clark (Miami) finished third (15.60 meters; 51'2.25"), fifth (15.18 meters; 49'9.75") and sixth (14.92 meters; 48'11.5"), respectively, in the women's weight throw.
 
To view results from the Virginia Tech Invitational, please click here. To view results from the Terrapin Invitational, please click here.
 
After a weekend away from competition, HU returns to action for the Navy Invitational II, hosted by the Midshipmen.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.