The opening day of the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships was successful for HBCU athletes, with nine total advancing past the preliminary round into their respective event finals.
Lincoln (MO)’s Shevanae Thomas was the first HBCU athlete to advance to an event final, making it into the women’s 400m final as an automatic qualifier after finishing second in her heat with a 52.24 time.
Then, it was CIAA 100m champion Brianna Benloss of Winston-Salem State squeaking into the women’s 100m final in a tight heat, closing with an 11.39 time.
She beat Lincoln (MO) sprinter Shantae George, who fell short of the 100m final after putting up an 11.42 mark.
On the men’s side, Tyson Williams of Johnson C. Smith and Kibren Moore of Albany State each pushed through to the 100m final, running 10.03 and 10.12, respectively.
The 400 hurdles was the most successful event for HBCU athletes on the first day of the DII Outdoor Championships, coincidentally, the event with the highest HBCU presence.
In addition to Albany State’s Nathalia Rowe snatching the final qualifying spot for the women’s 400 hurdles, four men’s athletes claimed a spot in the finals, including three as automatic qualifiers.
Lincoln (MO)’s Sharim Hamilton was the first to advance, winning the first heat in 50.57 seconds. Next was Johnson C. Smith’s Mohamed Adoini, finishing second in the second heat at 51.10.
The final automatic qualifier was Claflin’s Jaevon Riley, who ran the second-best time of all preliminary runners, 50.37. Lincoln (MO)’s Clinton Laguerre rounds out the field, getting in as a time qualifier after posting a 50.92 time.
In the field events, a pair of HBCU athletes finished in the top five of the men’s long jump.
Lincoln (MO)’s Wesley Tyndall placed third, measuring a personal-best 7.68m jump, while Benedict’s Zach Washington finished fifth in a 7.61m mark.
Day two of the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships resumes tomorrow and can be watched live on NCAA.com.
