2012 Mondo Mid-Major Challenge Results

Sacramento, CA – It was another successful step for Academy of Art University track and field Saturday at the 2012 Mondo Mid-Major Challenge hosted by Sacramento State at Hornet Stadium. A host of memorable performances included junior Briana Stewart capturing 1st with her personal record in the 100m hurdles, sophomore Reneilwe Aphane continuing to build on his record-breaking season with another #1 mark in the triple jump, and the women's 4x400m relay team securing a strong finish yet again.

"This weekend was a back to work type weekend for us,” head coach Charles Ryan said. “All athletes ran multiple races and yet we still had several seasonal and lifetime bests."

On the women's side, Stewart claimed the top spot in a field of 16 in the 100mH with her lifetime best time of 13.57. She would then post another personal record in the 200m dash where she and senior Jazmin White both crossed the line at the exact same time (24.77) which serves as the 4th lowest in ART U history. White and Stewart earned 8th and 9th in a race that featured 25 competitors with Division I schools such as Fresno State and UC Davis.

"Most impressive today would have easily been Briana Stewart,” Coach Ryan said. “She has been through a lot this year and seems to have turned a corner today. A new PR in the hurdles, a good race in the 200m, and then a 54.5 split on the 4x4 is a real big day for Briana. I was very proud of her efforts today, and I'm excited to see how she will be able to close the season."

The women's 4x400m relay was again a bright spot for the Urban Knights, but this time it was without junior Vashti Thomas. Nevertheless, ART U's quartet of White, Stewart, junior Dominique Berry, and sophomore Chantel King pushed to take a 3:48.11 mark which ranks second on the all-time list and beat out four NCAA Division I teams including UC Davis and Portland State.

"The women continue to upset people in the 4x400 and what was most impressive today was that they stepped up and put away several Division I programs without Vashti on the track,” Coach Ryan said. “Today's performance may not have been as fast as the race they ran at Stanford, but it was just as impressive on a competitive level."

White and Berry also each saw success individually with White earning 6th out of 16 runners in the 400m dash (her time of 57.00 is 2nd in Academy of Art history) and Berry coming in at 7th of 17 athletes in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:02.92.

In Friday's action, Thomas jumped the third furthest distance ever for ART U in the long jump while placing 1st of 11 in the process.


There were also new records set and personal bests on the men's side Saturday. Aphane leapt to yet another Academy of Art record in the triple jump with his 51-1.75 distance. The feat came not on his first attempt, but rather on his final attempt and he placed 1st of 11 with that mark.

"Neil was all over the place at first in his triple jump, but came through with a clutch performance and stole to competition on the last jump with a season-best mark,” Coach Ryan said. “It was really impressive and a very mentally tough performance.”

Junior Erik Piedad also came through with solid contributions throughout the day, highlighted by his run in the 200m dash and as part of both relay teams. In the 200m, Piedad had the top placement of three ART U runners, taking 8th of 19 overall with a new liftetime best of 22.26.

"For the men, Erik Piedad and the Reneilwe Aphane were the standouts today,” Coach Ryan said. “Erik is executing so well in all that he does and he is making the most of his opportunities."

Also for the men, junior Ricco McCloud had his best performance in the 400m hurdles, earning a new top time for Academy of Art with his 56.90 mark. Freshman Jaylon Hicks added a strong 10.72 in the 100m dash to place 5th of 12.

Next weekend, the Urban Knights will travel to Walnut, CA for the Mt. SAC Relays which take place Apr. 19-20. The Long Beach State Beach Invitational comes shortly thereafter on Apr. 21.