Track and Field Post Six Top Five Finishes at Gamecock Opener

Saturday, January 13

Columbia, S.C.

10 AM

Georgia Southern University

Gamecock Opener

Photo by: AJ Henderson - Georgia Southern Athletics

Track and Field Post Six Top Five Finishes at Gamecock Opener

1/13/2024 8:06:00 PM | Track & Field/XC

Final Results

Eagles posted six top five finishes

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Georgia Southern track and field team opened its indoor campaign and several Eagles moved into the record books at the Gamecock Opener on Saturday in the Carolina Indoor Track and Field Complex.

NaJ Watson led the Eagles in the 60m dash moving her into fourth all-time in the GS indoor record book by posting a personal-best time of 7.45. Watson also finished fifth in the 200m posting the program's fourth-best time of 23.77. Teaming with Watson, Sofia Molina, Itzia Mejia Garcia, and Alanna Smith finished third in the 4x400 for the third-fastest time (3:45.46) in program history.

Mejia Garcia made her 400m debut clocking in at 55.47 for a fourth place finish and second-best time in program history. Smith clocked in at 55.73 to take sixth place and move behind Mejia Garcia for third all-time.

Freshman Jailah Lee finished second in the triple jump with a mark of 11.85. Imani Moore finished fourth and Lee finished sixth in the long jump. Molina took third in the 800m clocking in at 2:16.58.

Making their eagle indoor debuts were Riley Browne, Emani George, Makayla Caldwell, Sucar Tanelus, Kennadi Reed, Alexandria Kennedy, Imani Moore, Itzia Mejia Garcia Madison Hevesy, Maci Shelnut, Jailah Lee, Gamyzhae Williams, and Payton Guye.

Browne opened her freshman campaign with a sixth place finish in the high jump. Reed made the 60m hurdles finals finishing in sixth place with a time of 9.03 and Hence set a personal best in the 60m dash with a new time of 7.73.

Quotable from Coach David Neville
"Today told us a lot about this team we have here. I'm very proud of how they were able to compete today. We had some great showings by some of our freshmen like Jailah Lee in the triple jump and Kennadi Reed in the 60m hurdles. A number of the ladies broke into the top five marks for Georgia Southern All-Time. I'm excited to see what we do in two weeks in New York City! Today we showed what true blue really means by competing toe to toe with some of the top power 5 schools in the country."

Next Up
The Eagles are set to compete in the Dr. Sanders Columbia Challenge in New York Jan. 26-27.