Cobras Open Strong in Thursday Events at SAC Championships

CHARLOTTE, N.C.- The Coker College women's track and field team competed in day one of the South Atlantic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championship, hosted by Johnson C. Smith, on Thursday, April 19. 

Tiffany Taylor finished 11th in the javelin, throwing for 103' 6", fourth all-time at Coker. She is also through four events in the heptathlon. Taylor placed seventh in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 18.40. She tied for sixth in the high jump with a height of 4' 4". Taylor won the shot put portion, earning a third place Coker record with a distance of 33' 4.6". She finished fourth in the 200-meter dash round in a time of 28.06.

In the long jump, the Cobras had three top-13 finishes. Deonzha Jackson finished seventh (fourth-best at Coker) at a distance of 17' 4", Da'Sha Jobes landed in 11th with 16' 6" (eighth-best at Coker), and Talicia Murphy claimed 13th at 15' 9".

The 1500-meter preliminary was dominated by Darroneshia Lott, who finished first overall by a significant time, in 4:50.62. This adds to her Coker records with a third place spot in the event. Lott also reached the finals of the 800-meter with a first place finish in a time of 2:18.72.

The Navy and Gold nearly swept the 100-meter hurdles preliminaries with three Cobras winning their respective heats. Kaylah Ruff upped her previous Coker record time with today's run of 14.46, claiming the top spot overall. Asante Rice was third overall in 14.87 and seventh in the records. Jackson was fourth in a time of 14.95, 10th at Coker.

Noelia Leake won her heat in the 100-meter dash preliminaries with a time of 12.08. This puts her third overall and tied for fourth at Coker. Autumn Walters also qualified for the finals with a seventh place finish of 12.36.

Three Navy and Gold members will advance to the 400-meter hurdles finals on Friday. Angel Gale was the overall winner in a time of 1:05.20, good for fourth in the Coker record books. Charity Snelling was sixth in 1:06.47 (fifth at Coker), and Ruff was just behind in seventh in 1:06.94 (sixth at Coker).

Leake set another Coker/personal record in the 200-meter dash preliminaries. In the time of 24.75, she won her heat and placed third heading into the finals. 

Day two of the SAC Outdoor Championship will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 20. Live video and results can be found at www.cokercobras.com.