In preparation for the post-season, the track and field team split the weekend between three meets across the country. Seniors Amanda Ouedraogo and Nick Jones both finished in the top two of their respective events, and Chloe Susset received a NCAA Division II National Championship qualifying mark.

A group of Wildcats competed at the prestigious Penn Relays Carnival in Philadelphia Friday and Saturday, placing high in several events.

Ouedraogo won the triple jump, posting a jump of 41 feet, 6.5 inches. The national leader in the event, Ouedraogo passed Ohio State’s Kelcey McKinney at 40 feet, 5 inches.

Levance Williams placed sixth in the long jump. The senior finished with a mark of 24-6.50.

The national leader in Division II shot put and discus, Jones also represented the Wildcats well. Jones finished second in discus with a mark of 185-0, just behind Andrew Evans of Kentucky at 185-6. Jones finished fifth in shot put with a throw measuring at 62-3.50.

In the running events, the ‘Cats took five top-50 finishes. The men’s sprint medley relay team of Jordan Geary, Paris Robertson, Osei Allyene-Forte and Banjo Jaiyesimias finished 14th in 3:28:08.  The 4×100 relay of Dennis Bain, Willams, Robertson, and Geary finished 25th in 41.47. Bain, Geary, Osei Allyene-Forte and Banjo Jaiyesimias finished 43rd in the 4×400 in 3:21.11.

The women’s sprint medley relay team of Shennae Steele, Karolyn Palmer, Karla Hope, and Ayesha Rumble placed 21st in 4:-4:00. The 4×400 relay team of Lexus Williams, Steele, Rumble, and Hope placed 41st with a time of 3:48:18.

Meanwhile, Susset was competing across the country at Stanford’s Payton Jordan Invitational. The senior finished a 3,000 meter steeplechase in 10:24:65, automatically qualifying for the NCAA Division II National Championship.

Susset’s time on Sunday was by far her season best, since her 10:56:80 steeplechase appearance at the University of Texas-Arlington Bobby Lane Invitational.

Susset is the first runner to receive an automatic qualifying bid, following Jones and Baptiste Kerjean in the shot put and discus, and jumpers Ouedraogo and Williams.

Other members of the track team competed in the West Texas A&M Open this weekend.

Alexis Wilder won the hammer throw, launching one for 163 feet, 4 inches, and recording an NCAA provisional mark.

Also recording provisional NCAA marks, Kevin Johnson finished second in the 110 meter hurdles at 14:48, and Tara Riley placed third in discus, throwing for 145-09.

The track and field team will return next weekend at the Lone Star Conference Championship at Texas A&M-Commerce.