2016 Ed Jacoby Invitational & Multi ResultsNAMPA, Idaho – A busy 2016 debut for Academy of Art University culminated in numerous NCAA Division II provisional qualifying marks at Boise State's Ed Jacoby Invitational & Multi.
Keanna Moody won the 400m with one of the top times in the country, personal records came from both the men and women, and many new faces highlighted the day including
Mobolade Ajomale's performance in the 200m which put him in the top two in DII.
"It was a good start for a first meet," said head coach
Kevin LaSure. "We are training hard and just scratching the surface of our potential. This was some people's first indoor meet ever and first time competing against someone other than teammates so a lot of our athletes grew up and gained valuable experience. We know what we need to work on from here on out."
The women's 400m featured three Urban Knights among the top six as Moody opened her senior season by placing first out of 23 finishers with a time of 56.24.
Schae Graham was fifth and
Mistic Scott took sixth to contribute to ART U's depth in the event. That trio joined
Dierra Haven to claim first in the 4x400m relay at the end of the day.
In the women's 60m dash,
Amanda Odesjo qualified through the prelims by finishing fifth of 37 before posting a 7.87 in the finals which was a fraction of a second off her personal best set last season.
New versatility in the Urban Knights' jump squad was also on display Saturday as
Rian Young-Werner walked out of the triple jump with a NCAA provisional mark of 37-11.25 (11.56m). She would finish second of 12 in the event and tied
Sabrina Anderson for seventh out of 30 with a 17-5.25 (5.31m) in the long jump.
On the men's side, Ajomale broke out for first of 22 sprinters in the 200m dash. His first race as an Urban Knight saw him go 21.24 for a top-two mark in the country thus far as well as a NCAA automatic qualifier. The time was second in ART U program history.
The 60m hurdles had another provisional qualifier in
Marlon Britton who placed second of 14 in the prelims then took second in the finals with an 8.19. In the 60m dash,
Alexander McNally and
Craig Mattox both qualified through the prelims and it was McNally who delivered a PR of 7.00 for third in the finals.
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Mattox emerged as the top finisher in the long jump, offering a NCAA provisional mark of 23-6 (7.16m) that immediately rose him to third longest in Knights history. He was complemented by
Johnny Carter in the triple jump. Carter, a two-time indoor All-American as a freshman, took second of seven triple jumpers on Saturday, flying to a 49-11 (15.23m). He is now second in the country in the event.
"Every team has to have their first meet at some point and I think we now know what we need to work on," said director of track & field/cross country
Torrey Olson. "I'm confident in this coaching staff and these athletes that we're going to do the things necessary to be there in March. It's about applying what we learned from today toward the next meet."
Academy of Art will continue its indoor season with the University of Washington Invitational in Seattle on Jan. 30.
