DAY 2 COMPLETE RESULTS | DAY 3 START LIST
HAMMOND, La. – Freshman Kemar Mowatt shattered the school record in the 400-meter hurdles to qualify for the finals with the fastest time, while the Islanders advanced to the finals in six events at the 2015 Southland Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships today at the Southeastern Track & Field Complex. The Islanders set eight personal-best times on the second day of competition.
"The veteran Islanders are coming along and they are scoring points with personal-best times," Director of Track & Field Shawn Flanagan said. "The younger ones are doing well, but they aren't necessarily making the finals, but they are getting better. We have a big day tomorrow with the relays, women's discus and the high jump."
Mowatt led the men's team with a time of 51.50 to win his heat and clock the fastest time in the event. Mowatt's previous school record of 52.36 was set at the Baylor Invitational in April. He will compete in the finals tomorrow along with sophomore Jackson Davis who also finished with a personal-best time of 52.89 to place third in his heat and sixth overall.
Also highlighting the men's team was freshman William Maraggia in the men's 800 meters. He placed seventh overall with a personal-best time of 1:53.18 to qualify for the finals. Senior Valentinas Rudys finished with the ninth-best time with a mark of 1:53.64 and placed second in his heat.
In the men's 1500 meters the Islanders placed 13th, 14th, 15th, just missing the qualifying mark. Logan Pittdman clocked a personal-best time of 3:58.56 while Edgar Martinez also followed with a personal-best time of 3:59.34, and close behind was Steven Galli with a time of 3:59.95.
Sophomore Andres Salazar placed in the top 10 of the preliminary round of the 400-meter run with a time of 48.20, just missing the qualifying time.
The women's team, who currently sits in eighth place with 12 points, were led by junior Ebony Collins, who advanced to the finals in two events after finishing first in her heat in the 100 meters and 200 meters. She clocked her second-best time of the season with a time of 24.14 in the 200 meters, which was the fastest time in the event. Collins clocked the seventh-best time in the 100 meters with a time of 11.86, her second best of the season.
In the women's 800 meters, senior Jasmine McCoy finished third in her heat and fifth overall with her second-best time of the season. She finished with a time of 2:13.12 to advance to the finals tomorrow. Also advancing to the finals for the women's team is senior Alexandria Rossi in the women's 1500 meters. She clocked a season-best time of 4:52.09 to finish 12th in the preliminaries.
Also competing today was senior Vanessa Galindo who ran an outstanding race in the 3000-meter steeplechase and earned three points for the Islanders. She ran a personal-best time of 11:24.57 to place sixth. Freshman Chloe Young also had a strong day, clocking a personal-best time of 14.51 in the women's 100-meter hurdles and a personal-best time of 1:05.82 in the women's 400-meter hurdles.
Senior Brandi Huff, who was dealing with a great deal of pain changed her throwing style and finished in fifth place in the women's shot put with a season-best mark of 14.27m (46'10"). Sophomore Omesha Locke also recorded a season-best mark of 12.10m (39' 8.50") in the shot put.
The Islanders will open the final day of competition tomorrow at 10 a.m. in the women's discus. The Islanders will also compete in the men's pole vault, men's discus, women's high jump, women's and men's 5000 meters, men's and women's 4x400 meter relay, men's and women's 4x100 meter relay. In addition, the Islanders will be competing in the finals of the men's and women's 800 meters, women's 1500 meters, 100 meters and 200 meters, and the men's 400-meter hurdles.
For the latest information, follow the teams on Twitter and Instagram (@IslandersTFXC) and Facebook (Texas A&M Corpus Christi Track & Field/Cross Country). Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading the Islanders Front Row App at GoIslanders.com/frontrow.
