BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Scovia Ayikoru won the 400 and combined with Sofia Molina, Megan Bolton and NaJ Watson to win the 4x400 relay in leading the Georgia Southern track and field team to a fifth-place finish at the Sun Belt Indoor Championship Tuesday at the Birmingham CrossPlex.

It was the Eagles' best finish in the meet since joining the league in 2015. 

Ayikoru set a meet and school record with a time of 53.17 in the 400. The 4x400 relay team also set a meet and school record with a time of 3:42.47. Ayikoru set a school and meet record in the 200 prelims (23.37) and ran a 23.56 to finish third in the finals, and the senior took third in the 60-meter dash (7.43-2nd in GS history).

Devine Parker ran a school record time of 7.39 in the 60-meter dash to place second, and Watson took second in the 200 (23.43-2nd in GS history). Imani Moore finished third in the long jump (6.06m-3rd in GS history).

Lily Ball ran the third-fastest time in program history in the 3000 (10:26.25), and Sam Holbrook's weight throw toss of 16.80m tied for the third best in GS history.

Quotables from Coach David Neville
"I am overjoyed by how well the ladies competed at this conference championship! The level of fighting and determination they had for themselves and for this program was truly amazing. Scovia laid everything out for her final conference championships and left nothing to be desired. She will forever be etched in this program's history as probably the greatest all-around sprinter. There was an unfortunate injury to Devine Parker breaking the school record, the 60-meter dash was amazing and NaJ Watson ran tremendous in the final of the 200." 

"On day one, we had some amazing throws by Sam Holbrook in the weight throw, and Imani Moore showed outstanding competitive fight by jumping from sixth place to third on her final long jump."

"It was wonderful to see our ladies forge to come from behind and win in the 4x400 to cap off the meet and give us the fifth place spot in conference. I told the ladies at the beginning of the year that I picked us to be a top-five team in this program, and that's exactly what we did today. The future is bright, and I am so blessed to lead this program."