Birmingham, AL – Highlighted by Lauren Lewis Haynes’ win in the 800M and Ashley Doyle’s win in the 5,000M, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) track and field team competed in Samford’s Bulldog Invitational, Friday and Saturday, at the Birmingham Crossplex.
“This weekend, our team showed progressive signs in several key areas,” said head coach Asha Gibson-Smith. “A number of personal bests were established the past two days, so that’s the momentum we are grateful for as we near the championship stretch.”
Bianca Browne (5th, 7.64) and Isis Banks’s personal bests (8th, 7.70) kicked off Friday’s running events with a pair of personals bests in the 60M. Gabrielle Miller also competed in the 60M, posting a personal best time of 7.86.
Next up was Doyle’s win in the 5,000M, where she posted a personal best of 18:31.81. Shaye Foster competed in the mile, and her time of 5:27.84 was good for an 11th-place finish.
Five Governors competed in the 400M, with Mia McGee (10th, 58.51) and Alexis Arnett (11th, 58.57) leading the way; they were followed by Celeania Rollerson (1:00.80), Koriona Boyd (1:01.65), and Sydney Hartion (1:01.72).
The second event winner for the Govs on Friday was Lewis Haynes in the 800M with a time of 2:13.59. Jaedyn Stalnecker also competed in the 800M, posting a season-best time of 2:28.56. In Friday’s final running event, Brown led three Governors in the 200M with a 10th-place finish and a season-best time of 25.50; she was followed by Banks (25.77) and Miller (26.44).
Kicking off Friday’s field events, Emma Tucker and Marcia Dejsus posted throws of 13.87M and 10.41M, respectively, in the weight throw. Myra Erikson followed with a season-best 3.52M jump in the pole vault, which was good for ninth place. Finally, Tucker finished 12th in the shot put with a throw of 11.74M.
Miller kicked off Saturday’s event with a seventh-place finish and a personal best time of 7.75 in the 60M. Then Savannah Fruth led three Governors in the mile with a 13th-place finish and a time of 5:24.13; she was followed by Mary Kate French (5:34.38) and Kerra Marsh (5:34.85).
Alexis Arnett (12th, 58.72) led the Govs in the 400M, while Sydney Hartoin (1:01.56) also recorded a season-best time in the event. Foster was the lone Gov in the 800M, posting a 12th-place finish with 2:24.71.To close the running events at the Bulldog Invitational, Banks finished 12th in the 200M with a season-best time of 25.26. Rollerson (26.37) and Boyd (26.62) also competed in the 200M, with Boyd posting her best time of the season.
In Saturday’s field events, Erikson finished 12th in the pole vault with a 3.37M jump. Tucker also recorded a 13.83M toss in the weight throw, while Dejesus threw a personal-best 10.5M in the same event. In the final field event, Tucker placed 13th in the shot put with an 11.39M throw, while Dejesus recorded an 8.79M throw.
Next Up For APSU Track and Field
The Austin Peay State University track and field team is back in action when they compete at the Atlantic Sun Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, February 23rd-24th, in Gainesville, Florida.
For news and race results, follow the Austin Peay track and field team on X and Instagram (@GovsXCTF) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
