2014 Seattle Pacific Final Qualifier Results

2014 Kim Duyst Invitational Results

Saturday was truly the end of one chapter and the start of another for Academy of Art University Track & Field. A select set of Urban Knights traveled north for the Seattle Pacific Final Qualifier with one last chance to post times for NCAA Indoor Nationals consideration while the majority of ART U's squads made their 2014 outdoor debut down south at Cal State Stanislaus' Kim Duyst Invitational.

Seattle, WA – The small contingent of athletes taking part in the Seattle Pacific Final Qualifier included the men's 4x400m relay team of Jordan Edwards, Shaquille Howard, Ronald Spears, Jr., and Alexander McNally.

The Urban Knights were the only ones competing in the event as they looked to improve upon their previous low of 3:21.59 which could not send them to Nationals. On this occasion, however, the foursome delivered an inspired performance of 3:15.71 that got them a Nationals provisional qualifier as well as the new ART U indoor record.

"We are very proud of the efforts we got from our group at the last chance meet," head coach Charles Ryan said. "To walk away with a lifetime best and a new school record in the relay is all you can really ask for. Unfortunately that will not be enough to get qualified. Last chance meets are very difficult; we came up shorty today, but that's a great motivation to get ready for outdoor. We will send a very small group to the NCAA Indoor Championships, but it's a very talented group that hopefully will produce some All-Americans and maybe even a champion or two."

Two women's individuals were in action as well and it was Mistic Scott's 400m that highlighted. She took first of the five competitors, but more importantly, grabbed an NCAA provisional qualifier with her time of 57.01. The mark puts her fourth on a distinguished all-time list of ART U athletes.

Kaelyn Harbison was also in action in two distance events, 800m and 5000m. She went 2:19.32 in the 800m, a race that included Academy of Art alum Jenny Bergren (2:17.40), and in the first indoor 5000m race of her collegiate career, she turned in a 19:06.55.


Turlock, CA – Several new faces could be seen in ART U Track & Field's outdoor debut at the Kim Duyst Invitational while many familiar ones smiled at their success.

"The wind was strong all day and was certainly a factor, but it served to shift the focus away from marks and toward competition," associate head coach Torrey Olson said. "And for an outdoor opener, the focus really should be on competing, especially for those who were racing over a distance for the first time in the year."

On the women's side, Keanna Moody had a solid start to outdoor in the 200m dash, delivering a 25.44 for first place out of 33 sprinters. She was joined by Dierra Haven and Omotoyosi Oniru in the event with those two taking 11th and 22nd respectively.

In the 100m dash, Haven led the way for the Knights, placing fourth of 36. Haven and Moody were joined by Racquel Jones and Amanda Odesjo in the 4x400m where Academy of Art claimed third of 16.

Kayla Pritchett stood out in the 400m dash where she placed fourth of 24 while Dinesha Bean was just behind in sixth after her. In the 5000m, McKaela Christenson picked up second place out of 35 distance runners after her 18:34.63 time.

With her first throws of the year, Jessica Kinssies finished third of 32 in the shotput (34-10.5) and middle of a 32-competitor pack in the discus (98-5).

The men had their share of strong performances including Nicolas Rifflard's #1 finish in the 5000m. ART U's first male NCAA Cross Country Nationals qualifier snagged first of 68 with a time of 15:05.90. Fellow distances team members Jack Nevins (15th), Austin Esposito (36th), Logan Means (39th), and Temarius Walker (60th) were also in the event.

In the jumps, Edgar Panford made his highly-anticipated ART U debut, launching into second of 18 in the triple jump. His 49-3 distance elevated him to third all-time in program history and he would go 21-0.75 in the long jump for fifth place of 27 jumpers.

Marlon Britton and Quinlan Wright were each among the top finishers despite this being their first collegiate outdoor track meet. Britton took sixth of 37 in the 100m then he picked up ninth of 38 in the 200m dash. Wright got himself into sixth of 29 sprinters in the 400m.

The men's 800m saw Nicholas Alexander come through for a 23rd place finish out of a large 55-competior field. He would go 2:06.18 for a solid start to his collegiate outdoor career.

For those who have qualified, NCAA Indoor Nationals will take place on Mar. 14-15 at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, NC. Members continuing with outdoor are back on the same Al Brenda Track in Turlock for the Stanislaus Open next weekend, Mar. 8.