South Carolina HBCU Sports This Week

*Lady Tigers Shut Out Allen*

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Benedict College Lady Tigers wrapped up their three-game series against Allen with another shutout, topping the Lady Yellow Jackets 10-0 in five innings on Monday afternoon at MLK Park.

Chelsey Gotel went 2-for-3 with a single and triple and drove in four runs. Ariana Ellis brought home two runs with an infield single.

Kayla Hunt picked up her first pitching win of the season, going all five innings, allowing three hits and striking out six and did not issue a walk.

Benedict improves to 12-14 overall and 5-5 in the SIAC. Allen falls to 1-26 overall and 1-12 in the SIAC.

*Lady Panthers Post Strong Showings at CSU Buccaneer Invitational*

CHARLESTON, SC -

The Claflin University men's and women's track & field teams made a return to competition, Friday when the teams took competed in the CSU Buccaneer Invitational hosted by Charleston Southern University.

The Lady Panthers had a solid overall day with some impressive individual performances. Lady Panthers sophomore Zoe Adams continued her terrific career when she placed second in the women's 400m run with a 56.82. Senior Jonnica Fuller placed fifth in the event with a 1:00.13. Freshman sprinter Pheijana Burnside added a third-place finish in the women's 100m hurdles when the ran a 15.60. Sophomore Staci Smith placed fourth in the women's 100m dash with a 12.56 while sophomore Madison McDonald added a sixth place finish in the women's 800m run with a 2:40.51.

The Panthers had an equally impressive showing at the meet as well. Freshman Reginald Gore continues to show why he is among the top newcomers to the team when he won the men's 800m run with a 1:55.76. Sophomore Zion Murry added a third place finish in the event with a 1:56.36. Sophomore Darius Holmes had a strong showing as well when he placed second in the men's 110m hurdles with a 15.57. Junior Quandarious Patrick placed third with a 15.95. Freshman Jaevon Riley placed second in the men's 400m hurdles with a 55.74. Sophomore Jocolbi Morgan placed second in the men's long jump when he notched a 23'2.75" (7.08m) jump.

The two teams will return to action on March 24th when the teams head to Columbia, South Carolina to take part in the Weems-Baskin Meet. For more information on Lady Panthers and Panthers track & field, contact the Claflin University Office of Athletics Media Relations at (803) 535-5548 or log on to www.athletics.claflin.edu.

*Lady Jackets Track Places 5th at Charleston*

CHARLESTON, S.C. -

The Allen University women's track and field team placed 5th overall at the D-1 and D-2 Charleston Southern Invitational last Friday. AU received quality results from its sprinters, relay teams and long jumpers. Allen finished third among Div. II schools finishing ahead of Claflin with 51 points and only six points behind the D-2 champ Lincoln.

Sophomore Aisha Patterson led Allen by placing 2nd overall in the 100 meter dash in a time of 12.5 seconds to grab 8 team points for AU and was just .08 behind the winner from College of Char. Fellow sprinters Shakeryah Passmore and freshman Measha Jones also ran good times and placed 5th and 6th respectively out of 15 in the field. Passmore, a junior, ran a time of 12.6 seconds wile Jones came across at 12.9 seconds. All three sprinters combined for 11 points.

Jones then came back in the 200 meters placing 6th out of 20 to earn a team point with a quality time of 26.2 seconds while Passmore came in right behind in 8th place at 26.8. Freshman Kiana Pack then finished 11th in 27.19 seconds.

Junior Teleah Moorer then paced the Jackets in the 100 meter Hurdles finishing 2nd overall in 14.9 seconds just .6 off the winner from Lincoln to earn 8 team points. Moorer then ran in the 400 meter Hurdles and placed 9th out of 17 with a time of 1:12 while sophomore Ayani Taylor placed 14th in 1:20.

The 4x100 meter relay team, consisting of Patterson, Moorer, Passmore, and Jones then finished 2nd overall in the Relay with a time of 50 seconds flat just 3.5 seconds off the winning time from D-1 Charleston Southern.

Jones then led the way for Allen in the Long Jump placing 2nd overall with a mark of 5.46 meters (17 feet) while sophomore Kourtney English came in 7th at a mark of 4.4 meters.

In the Discus Throw, Allen was led by freshman Kaiyah Robinson with a mark of 30.5 meters (100 feet) to place 4th overall while Robinson also placed 4th in the Hammer throw as well. Her hammer throw was marked at 28.3 meters ( 93 feet.)

Finally, in the Javelin Throw, Allen was led by Ayani Taylor placing 4th out of 10 with a mark of 20.8 meters while Robinson finished right behind in 6th at 18 meters.

The women will next return to action on March 31 and April 1 when they take part in the Southern Wesleyan Invite.

*Pair Of Bulldog Track Athletes Listed Among MEAC Top Performers*

SC State freshman Cameran Gist and senior Dexter Ratliff were listed among the Mi-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) top track performers for the week ending Mar. 18. Gist won the long jump at the Buccaneer Invitational in Charleston with a mark of 5.54 meters, while also finishing third in the 100 meters and 4x400-meter relay, while Ratliff won the discus throw (47.33 meters) and was second in the hammer throw (44.66 meters) at the same event.

Howard University graduate student Dylan Beard was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men's Track Athlete of the Week, presented by Coca-Cola and Morgan State freshman Mackenzie Harris was selected as Women's Track Athlete of the Week, the conference office announced today. Howard University sophomore Eric Brown, Jr. was named Men's Field Athlete of the Week, while Morgan State junior Tia Jackson earned Women's Field Athlete of the Week honors.

Beard leads the NCAA in the men's 110-meter hurdles after winning the event this past weekend at the Charlotte 49er Classic, running a 13.68.

Harris came in second in the women's heptathlon at the Webb Davidson Meet, tallying 4,153 points – which are the 10th-most in the nation so far this outdoor season. She recorded top-five finishes in six of the seven events, including runner-up in the 200 meters and 100-meter hurdles.

Brown leaped 14.24 meters in the men's triple jump at the Charlotte 49er Classic, which currently ranks as the 48th-best mark in the nation.

Jackson came in second in the women's long jump at the Webb Davidson Meet, leaping 5.91 meters – which is currently the 35th-best mark in the nation, while Ja'Tae Joyner (Howard) was third in the triple jump at the Charlotte 49er Classic at 11.67 meters.

Other top performers:

Darci Khan (Howard) was second in the 100-meter hurdles at the Charlotte 49er Classic, running a MEAC-best 13.53 (11th in the nation).

James Perkins (Maryland Eastern Shore) won both the discus throw (44.30 meters) and shot put (15.16 meters) at the Virginia Beach Spring Invite.