2013 Sacramento State Hornet Invitational Results
Photo Gallery (images by Michael Nevins)

Sacramento, CA -- In its first competition since winning the 2013 NCAA Indoor National Championship, Academy of Art University was back on the track and field to resume the 2013 outdoor season on Saturday. At the Hornet Invitational, hosted by Sacramento State, the Urban Knights showed they were ready to make another title run as senior Vashti Thomas automatically qualified for Outdoor Nationals with her time in the 200m dash. Meanwhile, seniors Jenny Bergren (800m, 1500m) and Briana Stewart (400m hurdles) each posted new school records and provisional qualifiers. Highlighting the men's action, sophomore Jaylon Hicks delivered a provisional qualifier himself in the 100m dash.

Vashti Thomas, the USTFCCCA's 2013 Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, continued to have success in her final collegiate campaign with a 23.77 in the 200m to earn an AQ to NCAAs. The mark was also a new program record and served to put Thomas into 1st of a 55-runner field. Early in this outdoor track season, Thomas' time sits atop the NCAA DII in the 200m.

Along with Thomas, Bergren was another big contributor to the Urban Knights' National Championship and she picked up right where she left off on Saturday. Competing in the 800m and 1500m, Bergren went for new program records in each, turning in a time of 2:16.40 in the 800m and 4:33.99 in the 1500m. The senior's mark in the 1500m was good for a provisional qualifier and placed Bergren 4th overall against 41 other competitors (she was also 4th of 29 in the 800m).

ART U dominated the 400mH at the Hornet Invite with Stewart claiming 1st of 19 thanks to her new Academy of Art record and provisional qualifier of 1:00.52. The time is currently 2nd in the country. She topped Dominique Berry's previous top mark, but Berry herself was among the other hurdlers in this event and her time of 1:02.57 (which placed her 4th) was also a provisional qualifier.

Like Thomas, Bergren, and Stewart, junior Dinesha Bean had a major hand in bringing home the NCAA Championship trophy last weekend. And, in Saturday's return for outdoor competition, she was phenomenal in the 100mH. The Memphis, TN native snatched 1st of 29 hurdlers with her 13.69 mark that also provisionally qualified her for the culminating NCAA Championships.

One final highlight on the women's side came in the 400m where freshman Keanna Moody offered the second lowest time in program history (56.50) to cross the finish line 5th of 29. She becomes the second fastest Urban Knight to compete in the outdoor version of this event.

For the men's team, Jaylon Hicks made an important statement immediately in the 100m. He went for a 10.55 which ranks 2nd on the ART U all-time list, but more importantly, gets him provisionally qualified for the NCAAs.

Also for the men, the foursome of Jens Alban, Thomas Benson, Clemens Kammer, and Jack Nevins combined for a Top 5 Academy of Art mark with their 3:20.74 time in the 4x400m relay.

The Urban Knights are back in action next weekend when the groups are scheduled to split amongst the Pasadena Games (Mar. 22-23) and SF State's Johnny Mathis Invitational (Mar. 23).