The Barton Community College women's track and field team went two different directions this weekend, clocking a program top ten in Lubbock, Texas, with two other top-fifteen marks occurring in Lawrence, Kansas.
Overall the Cougars had ten personal bests over the course of two days, adding four new national qualifying performances bringing their up-to-date total to sixteen.
The entire Cougar squad will rejoin for its next meet coming up Friday in Topeka competing in the two-day Washburn Open and Multis.
In the one day Jayhawk Classic Invitational hosted by the University of Kansas, Barton's crew of jumpers and throwers chalked up four of the personal bests and added one to the qualifying list.
Having qualified last week in the long jump, Jazmine Williamson punched her second event for the national indoor championships by exceeding her personal best by 3.5 inches in rising to a 1.69m (5-06.50) height to finish second.
Kelsie Murrell-Ross, who already has the program's furthest shot put mark, bettered fourteen other competitors in the event with a 15.36m (50-04.75) as Treneese Hamilton's personal best 14.62m (47-11.75) as her third placing landed just outside the program top ten list. Lillian Thomas finished tenth at 10.10m (33-01.75).
In the afternoon weight throw session, Efe Latham recorded a 14.19m (46-06.75) placed fifth, just ahead of Murrell-Ross' personal best tying throw of 14.17m (46-06.00).
Down south at the Texas Tech Open and Multis, the track athletes also had good performances over two days of action with three national qualifying performances and seven personal bests.
Headlining the weekend's action was sophomore Danae Nembhard in both the short track events. Advancing through Friday's preliminary round of the 60m hurdles and 60m dash within forty-five minutes of each other, Nembhard's first time in 60m without the hurdles punched a national meet entry in clocking a 7.72. Returning to the track Saturday for the 60m hurdle finals, Nembhard carried day one's momentum to clock a program 8th fastest time of 8.46 in placing 8th of the 22 competitor field.
Also clocking personal bests in the hurdles was Ana Couto (8.71), Kay-Lagay Clarke (8.89) while Kayleigh Prentiss' first time in the event produced a 9.14 time. Couto, who is a true heptathlon athlete, took on the 800m for the first time collegiately on Saturday with a near event qualifying time of 2:25.06.
Barton's trio of 400m entries produced a pair of personal best resulting in national qualifiers, Dy'Mond Wiley at 56.10 and Naiya Morgan at 56.25 while Bethany Bridge's first time clocked a 1:00.95.
The two-day weekend was capped with Barton's 200m entries, Morgan and Wiley clocking personal bests 24.46 and 24.95 respectively while Bridge's 25.61 and Prentiss' 25.84 entered the pair's first time in the event.
Barton's Jayhawk Classic Invitational Results (Complete Results)
Shot Put: 1st Kelsie Murrell-Ross (15.36m, 50-04.75), 3rd Treneese Hamilton (PB 14.62m, 47-11.75 *Just outside program T-10), 10th Lilian Thomas (10.10m, 33-01.75)
Weight Throw: 5th Efe Latham (14.19m, 46-06.75), 6th Kelsie Murrell-Ross (T-PB 14.17m, 46-06.00)
High Jump: 2nd Jazmine Williamson (NQ PB 1.69m, 5-06.50)
Long Jump: 9th Jasmine Carson (5.15m, 16-10.75), 18th Brittania Ingram (3.98m, 13-00.75)
Barton's Texas Tech Open & Multis Results (Complete Results)
60m Hurdles: 8th Danae Nembhard (PB 8.46) *8th fastest program history), 15th Ana Couto (PB 8.71), 20th Kay-Lagay Clarke (PB 8.89), Kayleigh Prentiss (9.14 *1st Time)
60m: Danae Nembhard (NQ 7.72 *1st time in event)
400m: 17th Dy'Mond Wiley (NQ PB 56.10), 21st Naiya Morgan (NQ PB 56.25), 62nd Bethany Bridge (1:00.95 *1st Time in event)
200m: 23rd Naiya Morgan (PB 24.46), 37th Dy'Mond Wiley (PB 24.95), 68th Bethany Bridge (25.61 *1st Time), 77th Kayleigh Prentiss (25.84 *1st Time)
800m: 23rd Ana Couto (2:25.06 *1st Time)