2022 BU Last Chance Meet Results

BOSTON, Mass. – Numerous bests were saved for the BU Last Chance Meet as Academy of Art track & field closed its 2022 indoor regular season with two new program records and a host of impressive performances that were nationally significant. In the final opportunity to qualify for NCAA Division II Indoor Nationals, Natalia Novak broke her own 3000m record, Lina Hanich took over ART U's top spot in the 800m, Yacouba Gnacko added a huge triple jump to sit fourth in DII, Marie-Jeanne Ourega's 60m hurdles personal record has her inside the nation's top 10, and the men's and women's 4x400m relays dramatically capped the day by each moving up to second in the country.

"Overall it was a great weekend," said Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Kevin LaSure. "We learned a lot about who we are as a team and what we need to work on going into the NCAA Championships. I love the way we fought through adversity this weekend when our backs were against the wall. Everyone responded well and let their performances speak for them. It's great to see a lot of them begin to reap the benefits of all the hard work they have put in this season so far. Hopefully we can find a way to get the team to see the potential we see in them as coaches and the sky is the limit from there."

Combining the efforts of Makarios Page, Duncan Agyemang, Ajani Ince, and Shareez Hamm, the men's 4x400m relay was a sight to see. Three of the four ran sub-48.00 legs as their time of 3:10.15 took them up to second in NCAA DII and third in program history. On the women's side, Ombretta Picciolie Minkue Meye, Alice Coisne, Selena Arjona-Alcazar, and Erine Collard came out with a blistering start as Minkue Meye opened with a 53.43 leg en route to the team's 3:43.22 mark which was not only second in the country, but also second in Academy of Art history.

Novak took another huge portion off her time in the 3000m with another program record at 9:30.67. Almost a full 10 seconds faster than her previous best of 9:40.06 from mid-January, the mark rose her to 13th in the nation, capping a memorable weekend that saw her also further break the ART U record in the mile at the Fastrack Last Chance Invitational.

Two days after her own personal record came in just her third 800m race, Hanich walked away from Sunday's action as the new program record-holder in the event. A fast start put Hanich well on her way to the achievement as she crossed the finish line at 2:10.87, now 19th in NCAA DII, breaking Beatriz Martinez Mercado's 2018 school record by nearly half a second. Additionally, Delanie Dykes turned in her own season-best in the event, going 2:13.95 while remaining fourth in Academy of Art history.

Two attempts into the triple jump on Sunday, Gnacko was already the owner of a new personal record, adding more than seven inches to his previous best. Marking 51-7.75 (15.74m), he claimed the fourth position among the country's competitors and is now less than six inches from the program record set by Johnny Carter at Indoor Nationals in 2013.

Offering progressively quicker times in the 60m hurdles since Jan. 15, Ourega put herself inside the country's top 10 with a personal record 8.55 in the event prelims on Sunday. Eighth overall and one of just 10 NCAA DII hurdlers to go lower than 8.60, she should find herself in a trio of events at Indoor Nationals in two weeks.

Along with her efforts in the 4x400m relay, Minkue Meye posted her best 200m time of the season at 24.50 to tie for 24th in NCAA DII while Darria Matthias was not far behind at 24.85 for her own best mark in 2022. After reaching the 60m final with a 7.71 in the prelims, Matthias placed first and matched her season-best of 7.61 that came at the Fastrack Last Chance Invitational two days prior. She sits 32nd in the country.

Running his best 800m race since joining Academy of Art, Abdelouakil Mustapha came through with a time of 1:51.23 to move up to 36th in the nation as well as second in program history ahead of Rabah Houali (1:51.56).

Individual success came for Ince and Daquan Berry in the 200m as both turned in nearly identical season-best marks. Ince went 21.83 and Berry followed at 21.86.

The next time out will be the final indoor weekend of the season as the Urban Knights who qualify will contest events at Indoor Nationals once again hosted by Pitt State in Kansas on Mar. 11-12.