HAMMOND, La. - In a dual meet that featured the University of Mobile Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field teams and the track and field teams of host-school Southeastern Louisiana University, the Rams of Mobile found great success in just their second meet of the 2022 season.
The meet was held in Hammond, La. on Friday, Mar. 18 as a total of seven student-athletes from UM, all from the women's outdoor track and field team, managed to qualify for the upcoming NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships, with several breaking school records. Additionally, one from the men's outdoor track and field team at Mobile qualified for nationals the following morning, Mar. 19.
Elyssa Paulding qualified for nationals in the discus throw event on Friday, recording a mark of 42.36 meters. Paulding owns the school record at Mobile in the discus with a mark of 44.00 meters. Additionally in the discus event, Tatalia Carmichael recorded a new personal record with a mark of 39.15 meters. Carmichael went on the earn a new personal best in the hammer throw with a 38.78 meter mark.
Joining Paulding in qualifying for nationals in the field events was freshman Fedra Florentin. Florentin smashed the school record in the shot put event with a mark of 13.76 meters, earning her a trip to Gulf Shores, Ala. where NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Nationals are held. Florentin's mark in the shot put was a new personal record and beat the previous school record by almost two meters.
In the track events, Kari Watts qualified for nationals in the 400 meter hurdles event and earned a new personal best with a time of 1:03.67. Joining Watts in qualifying for track events was the team of Myla Edwards, Samantha Mansur, Latavia Jack, and Jerenie Jackson who all qualfied in the 4x100 relay race and broke the previous school record with a time of 47.26 seconds in the event on Friday. For Myla Edwards, she went on the record a new personal record in the 100 meters with a time of 12.51 seconds.
For the men's team, Preston Webb is the lone Ram to qualify for NAIA Nationals thus far. Webb qualified in the half marathon on the morning of Saturday, Mar. 19 with a time of 1:13:27, joining the seven teammates from the women's outdoor track and field team to earn a spot in Gulf Shores in May.
Several other Rams earned new personal records in Hammond, La. on Friday as Olivia Fulford recorded a new personal record in the high jump with a mark of 1.60 meters and Jhanya Quinones broke her previous personal best in the 400 meters with a new time of 58.75 seconds. On the men's side, Jaleel Murphy earned a new personal best in the 100 meters with a time of 11.17 seconds while Nick Spears recorded a mark of 3.85 meters in the pole vault event for a new personal record.
The seven Rams who managed to qualify for NAIA Nationals in Hammond, La. on Friday and one who qualified on Saturday morning are the first for Mobile in outdoor track and field to qualify this season as head coach Andy Canegitta expects more to earn a spot at nationals as the season progresses. Currently five meets remain on the 2022 schedule for UM Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field, including the SSAC Championships on Apr. 21-23. NAIA Nationals is scheduled for May 25-27 in Gulf Shores, Ala.
Mobile Rams to Qualify for 2022 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Nationals (so far):
About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.
For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
