South Plains track & field combine for 30 national qualifiers in El Paso

El PASO— The South Plains College track & field teams began their 2016 Outdoor campaign as defending national champions this weekend at the University of Texas El Paso, walking out with a combined 30 NJCAA national qualifiers after week one.

Freshman long jumper Fabian Edoki soared 26' 3.75" in the men's long jump competition, which currently sits as the top jump in the country. Derrick Monroe wasn't far behind, as his jump of 24' 11.75" was good enough for second place and is the second furthest jump in the NJCAA.

Adrian Williams impressed in the men's Javelin competition for South Plains, as his throw of 208' 4" was good enough for second place, and is currently the top throw in the NJCAA. Gabe Moore went on to place third in the Javelin throw with a distance of 177' 7". Moore also placed second in the discuss with a throw of 141' 2".

Kwaume McGee soared to a distance of 43' 7.75" in the men's triple jump, while Moore and Logan McBride placed third and fourth in the pole vault with heights of 14' 7.25" and 13' 1.5", respectively. In the men's high jump competition, Robert Dunning and McGee went on to tie for second as each jumped a final height of 6' 6.75".

DeVante Lacy posted a dazzling time of 21.08 in the men's 200 meters which was good enough for third place, while Deric Martinez went on to place seventh for the Texans in the 5000 meters with a final time of 16.17.71. Kelvin Keter took the top spot in the men's 600 meters with a final time of 1.55.43, while Nicholas Rotich placed fourth with a time of 1.58.87.

Keter would then go on to place third overall in the men's 1500 meters with a final time of 3.57.53, with Hassan Abdi placing sixth with a finishing time of 3.59.40. Okeen Williams went on to take first overall in the men's 400 hurdles with a time of 54.67, while Robert Dunning finished second overall in the men's 110 hurdles after posting a time of 14.21.

In the women's division, Morgan Hartsell continues to progress as one of the nation's elite in pole vault competition, as her final height of 12' 3.5" was good enough for second place on Saturday, and is currently hold the top position in the NJCAA. The Lady Texans' Mauricia Prieto was in mid-season form in the women's 200 meters, posting a final time of 23.99, landing her in fourth place, and is currently the fastest time in the country in the NJCAA.

Selena Orlenas went on to place fourth overall in the women's javelin competition with a final throw of 127' 7", while Tasha Crosse placed fourth in the discus with a final throw of 153' 5". Kionna Bradshaw placed third overall in the women's shot put, finishing with a final distance of 44' 6.75". In the women's triple jump, the Lady Texans' Anyi Garcias-Solis placed fifth overall with a final jump of 38' 1.5", while Cierah Hairston placed fourth in the high jump with a final height of of 5' 5".

Deja Harrison went on to take fourth overall for the Lady Texans in the 400 meters with a final time of 56.39, while the women's 4x100 relay team comprised of Alexis Hyshaw, Saqukine Cameron, Taylor Hill and Prieto posted a finishing time of 45.72, good enough for second place overall and is currently the second fastest overall time in the NJCAA.

With an impressive week one in the books, the Texans and Lady Texans will be back in action this weekend as they travel to the capital city of Austin for the Texas Relays at the University of Texas, beginning on March 30.