APSU Sports Information
Huntington, WV – It’s safe to say that senior Kymmalett Ross really likes the Jeff Small Track at the Chris Cline Indoor Athletic Facility.
Saturday, Ross equaled Erika Adams‘ school record 60m dash with a 7.61 mark, earning runner-up honors in the event.
That’s a pretty good Saturday.
“A great day for Kymm,” said head coach Doug Molnar. “A very good day overall, lots of things to be pleased about, but Kymm really stuck out for her performance.”
Ross’ outing was part of a larger swath of success for APSU at the Thundering Herd Invitational, where Austin Peay finished third overall with 62 points, behind only two-time champion Western Carolina (89.5) and Charlotte (85).
On the track, junior Myiah Johnson‘s season-best 8.63 mark in the 60m hurdles allowed her to find the podium with a third-place showing, while classmate Molly Jordan posted a top-five showing in the 800m run with a personal-best 2:17.26 run. Sonja White made the finals with an 8.84 mark in the 60m hurdles, but did not finish the final race.
“We got big times out of the hurdlers today,” Molnar said. “We got two in the finals and Sonja White had a huge personal-best in the prelims.”
In 400m action, senior Breigh Jones (fourth, 56.64) and junior Terri Morris (seventh, 57.08) earned points toward the Lady Govs tally; Jones also placed eighth in the 200m with a 25.25 run. The duo, along with Jordan and Ross, later led Austin Peay to a second-place, 3:51.29 mark in the 4x400m relay.
“I think we’re starting to get in a groove a little bit on the track,” Molnar said. “People were well-rested this week and I think it showed.”
Austin Peay’s best showing in the field events came Friday night, when freshmen Savannah Amato and Dascha Hix finished first and second, respectively, in the pole vault. Amato’s 3.81m (12-06.0) mark is tops in the conference and would be just outside the national top-100 based on marks entering competition this weekend, while Hix’s 3.60m is the second-best she’s attained in her young APSU career.
“That was a big personal-best for Amato,” Molnar said. “Hix was perfect until her last height, no misses, a very solid day for her.”
With the talented duo of Chancis Jones and Kaylnn Pitts sitting this one out thanks to injury, Austin Peay’s banner was carried in the triple jump by junior Ashleigh Woods, who finished seventh with an 11.36m (37-03.25) mark.
Austin Peay returns to action next weekend at the MT Invitational, hosted by Middle Tennessee in Murfreesboro, TN.
