Pitt
Clemson Tiger Paw
Panthers Conclude Regular Season at Clemson Tiger Paw Invite
2/10/2024 8:09:00 PM | Track & Field
CLEMSON, S.C. – The University of Pittsburgh track and field team wrapped up their final regular season meet of the indoor schedule this weekend at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invite, recording 15 new personal records at the meet.
In the women's 60m preliminary round, freshman Somiyah Braggs tied her personal best of 7.40 to become the only Panther to move on to the semifinal round. Alma Evuna Eki recorded the first new personal best of the weekend, finishing the race in 7.68. Braggs ran a 7.42 in the semis, but it was not enough to advance to the finals. The multi-faceted Miami native later went on to record a new personal best in the 200m, crossing the line in 23.94 seconds. Folake Olujide-Ajibade joined in on the personal best action with a time of 24.99 in the 200m.
Logan Neely was the top finisher for the Panthers in the women's 400m race, placing 38th with a new best of 54.92. Mackenzie Sullivan and Shynae Deas excelled in the women's 800m, as Sullivan produced a season best 2:12.02 and Deas followed closely behind with a personal best of 2:13.61.
The Panthers' two podium finishes came by way of field events. In the women's high jump, sophomore Eva Baldursdottir leaped 1.70m for third place overall in the event. Senior Foluke Olujide-Ajibade also received third place, with a 21.30m mark in the women's weight throw invitational.
There were also personal records to be had in the field events. Freshman Taylor Forbes set a personal best in the long jump, jumping 5.50m. Teammate Ilse Steigenga hopped a season best 6.29m in the same event, good for sixth place. Sophomore Niya Crawford threw a personal best 14.05m in the shot put, which is tied for ninth in all-time Pitt indoor history. Freshman Norrah Lemongo, who recorded a fourth best program throw of 15.07m earlier this year, took seventh in this meet with a 14.84m toss.
On the men's side, Darren McQueen Jr. came just shy of advancing out of the men's 60m preliminary round, clocking in at 6.79 seconds. Stephon Brown ran at a clip of 6.82 seconds and graduate student Clement Campbell recorded a personal best pace of 6.89 seconds in just his second meet of the season after being sidelined from competition with an injury.
A plethora of Pitt personal records came from the men's 400m, with Malik Ricketts, Devin Nugent, and Thomas McDonough all crossing the line faster than they had previously recorded. Ricketts finished 26th out of 80 entrants with a 47.32 speed. Nugent placed 33rd in 47.58 and McDonough tallied 44th in 47.95.
In the men's 60m hurdles preliminary round, Ardonntrell Williams finished twelfth with a time of 7.89 and moved on to the semifinal round, where despite improving his time to 7.86, he missed the cut and did not advance to the final round. Teammate Raymond Oriakhi ran a new best of 8.11 in the preliminary round, finishing 26th but just out of reach of being one of the top twenty-four athletes to advance to the semifinals. Williams recorded a new personal best later in the meet, in the men's 200m, breaking through the tape in 22.57 seconds.
Sophomore Ryan Cook recorded a new 15.96m personal best in the shot put, which stands as the ninth best mark in program history. Junior Daniel Amaya moved up in the men's weight throw standings, achieving a mark of 19.41m and finishing in eighth place at the meet. Amaya's mark currently sits at third best in program history.
NEXT UP
Pitt begins post season action Feb. 22-24 at the 2024 ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships in Boston, Ma.
Players Mentioned
