Coastal in Second Place Following the First Day of the Big South Championships

Coastal in Second Place Following the First Day of the Big South Championships

16 qualify to compete in finals, more than 10 season best marks set

Kierra Gabe won the triple jump at the Big South Chamionships

Feb. 24, 2012

BLACKSBURG, VA. - The Coastal Carolina track & field team wrapped up the first day of the Big South Indoor Track & Field Championship with 31.50 points to take second place.

Kierra Gabe placed first in the triple jump with a season-best mark of 12.26 meters (40-02.75).

Mary Lawrence tied for fourth place in the pole vault after clearing 3.61 meters (11-10.00).

Shantelle Patterson took fourth in the weight throw with a season-best toss of 17.05 meters (55-11.25).

In the 3,000-meter run Letitia Saayman placed sixth with a time of 10:19.66. Emily Marchini was ninth overall after completing the race in 10:22.03.

Caitlin Baker finished eighth in the pentathlon after collecting 2,911 points. She had her best showing in the 800-meter run, taking third place with a time of 2:28.90.

During the preliminaries of the 60-meter hurdles, Ashley Davis qualified with a time of 8.71 and a fifth-place showing. Christina Davis took sixth in the event, qualifying with a season-best time of 8.79 and Camille Hurley also posted a qualifying time, as well as a season-best time of 8.83 to take seventh in the event.

Darriale Henley, Erica Peake and Gabrielle Lee each qualified in the 60-meter dash. Henley recorded a season-best time of 7.52 in the event, Lee recorded a season-best time of 7.59 and Peake completed the race in 7.69.

Coastal had four qualify for the finals of the 400-meter dash. Qwontajah Thompson advanced to finals with a season-best time of 56.80. Sharmaine Barnes also posted a season-best time of 57.16. Santresa Jamison ran the race in 57.49 and Jerica Howard recorded a time of 58.48.

Christian Johnson led the way for Coastal in the 800-meter run, qualifying for the finals with a season-best time of 2:17.43. Sophie Perry qualified for finals after completing the race in 2:20.36.

In the 200-meter dash, Peake, Thompson, Lee and Jamison all qualified for finals. Peake recorded a season-best time of 24.36. Thompson finished in fourth during the qualifying round following a season-best time of 25.03. Lee and Jamison finished seventh and eighth in qualifying for the finals after completing the race in season-best times of 25.16 and 25.23, respectively. The Coastal Carolina distance medley relay team took third overall with a time of 12:17.05. Saayman, Davis, Jessica Dennison and Shelby Nicosia were the members of the relay team.

Coastal will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 25 in the Big South Indoor Track & Field Championships. The Chanticleers will look to make a move on Liberty, currently in first, to win their sixth conference championship since 2004. The meet will resume at 9 a.m. at the Rector Field House in Blacksburg, Va.