Day 1 Results

Birmingham, AL – Returning to compete at the same Birmingham Crossplex that saw them earn the 2013 NCAA Division II Indoor National Championship, ART U Track & Field started off the 2014 calendar year with its first action in the UAB Blazer Invitational on Friday evening.

On the men's side, the 60m dash prelim saw Jordan Edwards narrowly miss a spot in the finals with his 6.89 mark that put him ninth by 0.005 seconds. He was right with Tennessee's Jarael Nelvis who ended up claiming the last finals qualifier, but Edwards did best Johnathan Johnson (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) and Alton Eliphar (Florida International) as well as 23 other competitors. Edwards did earn a NCAA provisional qualifier for his efforts.

"It was a very up and down sort of day," head coach Charles Ryan said. "Jordan Edwards was easily the best highlight of the day with his NCAA provisional prelim race. He is a big piece of our NCAA puzzle for the men and I'm looking forward to see what he looks like over 200m."

In that same event, Ronald Spears, Jr. matched his career best with a 7.04 mark en route to 19th place while Marlon Britton offered a 7.18 for 30th in his respective section.

The 60m hurdles prelim was memorable for one Quinlan Wright who set the new ART U school record with his 8.45 finish. The freshman took 11th in his 22-competitor section, bettering Nathan Jeffers of Charlotte and a pair from Kennesaw State. Wright topped the previous school mark from Britton in the Knights' debut at the Early Grizzly Open this past December. Britton went 8.73 for 17th in his section and Lemmar Wilson turned in an 8.80 (18th).

Getting a chance in the first 300m dash in ART U program history, Wright posted a 36:58 for 37th and Wilson crossed the line at 39:24 (54th).

Newcomer Geno Simmons made his first appearance in the Academy of Art black and red with a 45-3.5 triple jump for 14th overall.

For the women, competing in the 500m dash for the first time in program history, Dominique Berry along with Kaelyn Harbison both beat out three runners from Division I Troy. Berry went 1:22.60 to tie for 35th overall while Harbison followed closely behind in the same heat at 1:23.19 in 37th overall.

A pair of Knights, newcomer Amira Barnett and Dinesha Bean, were in action in the first section of the 60m hurdles prelims. In an event fraught with high-level Division I talent. Barnett came in tied for 25th with a 9.28 mark and Bean wound up just behind in 27th with a time of 9.31.

The foursome of Harbison, Scott, Kayla Pritchett, and Dierra Haven teamed up for the 12th-best mark in the distance medley, going 13:24.06 to surpass five other squads.

"Overall, today was a big wake-up call for most everyone," Coach Ryan said. "You need to take some punches before you learn how to counter punch."

Each in one of two sections in the 60m dash prelim, Haven and newcomer Amanda Odesjo finished 40th (8.20) and 47th (8.47) respectively.

Madeline Dignadice was just the second Urban Knight to ever compete in the 1000m, offering a 3:20.95 mark in just the second track competition of her collegiate career. She would place 21st overall.

ART U returns to the Birmingham Crossplex for its second and final day of competition in the UAB Blazer Invitational tomorrow.