South Plains Makes Strong Showing on Day One Of Indoor Nationals

WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA— After day one of the 2016 NJCAA Indoor National Championships, the South Plains College men's and women's track and field teams have put themselves in a strong position to compete for yet another national championship on day two come Saturday.

In the first event on Friday, the Lady Texans Melody Korie placed eighth overall with a final time of 9.27. In the men's 60 meters, Gabe Moore took third with a finishing time of 7.22, while Logan McBride placed 11th with a time of 7.47.

In the women's high jump competition, Ciearah Hairston took third overall with a jump of 5' 5.75", while Korie placed seventh overall with a final jump of 4' 11.75." In the men's long jump, Moore went on to place second overall with a final distance of 21' 3.50". Hairston took third for the Lady Texans in the women's shot put competition with a final throw of 37' 4.50", while Korie would place 10th overall with a throw of 28' 7.75".

In the men's shot put competition, Moore would take the top spot overall after a final throw of 41' 10", while McBride placed 10th overall with a throw of 33' 0.25". In the women's distance Medley Relay, Kassidi Jones, Latriceia Smith, Shirley Vunatup and Poro Gahekave placed seventh with a final time of 12:49.94.

In the men's high jump, Moore went on to place second overall with a height of 6' 3.50", while Korie would go on to take fourth overall for the Lady Texans in the women's long jump with a distance of 17' 2.75". The Texans distance medley relay team, comprised of Atem Akok, Daniel Chan, Fletcher Sherrard and Kelvin Keter would take sixth overall with a finishing time of 10:21.02.

Defending national title holder Morgan Hartsell was in championship form in the women's pole vault, as she went on to take the top spot with a final height of 12' 7.50". In the women's 800 meters, Hairston would take ninth overall with a final time of 2:46.99, while Korie took 13th with a time of 2:53.75.

Fabian Edoki continued his impressive run in the men's long jump competition, as the freshman from Nigeria took first overall with a jump of 24' 8.25", while Derrick Monroe took fifth for the Texans with a final jump of 23' 8.75". In the men's 5000 meters, Hassan Abdi would go on to take second overall with a finishing time o f 14:30.37, while Nicholas Rotich placed eighth overall with a finishing time of 15:10.38.

In the men's high jump competition, Kwaume McGee went on to take third overall with a final jump pfr 6' 8.75", while Robert Dunning's jump of 6' 6.75" was good enough for seventh overall.

South Plains will look to continue on their journey for a national crown on Saturday as day two of the national meet will continue at 10 a.m.