SE Sets Nine School Records on Opening Outdoor Weekend

RUSTON, La. – Southeastern opened the 2024 outdoor track and field season with nine school records and 45 top-15 finishes at the Jim Mize Invitational hosted by Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La.
 
The 4x400m relay team shattered the previous school record of 3:59.57 set at conference in May, posting a 3:55.84 on its way to a fifth-place finish. The Storm opened the season with the fastest 4x400 meter time in the conference, the top time in the central region. It also ranked as the ninth-fastest time nationally this season.
 
Day one started off in record breaking style as Makensi Greenwood carried her momentum from the indoor season on her way to breaking the 400m hurdles record set back in 2019 by Martie Shockley at 1:06.26, crossing the line in 1:02.64 to finish 3rd overall, just 0.28 short of the national qualifying standard of 1:02.36. Her time ranks No. 2 in the GAC and the Central Region and is among the top 10 in the nation.
 
Madison Rowe was also in fine form competing in the event for the first time, crossed the finish line in 1:06.52 which is the fourth-best GAC and regional time. Lily Helgren rounded out the competitors in the 400m hurdles event crossing the line in 1:14.48 in her first time participating in the event.
 
SE maintained the momentum on day two, starting with the first race of the day where the 4x100m relay broke the school record set back in 2022 crossing the line 48.51. This time currently ranks fourth in the conference and region.
 
The women's 1500m event saw five finishes in the top-15, with seniors Alexis Longoria and Arden Kesterson leading the charge crossing the line in 5:06.77 and 5:09.27, respectively, to finish fourth and fifth overall.
 
The women's 100 meter hurdles saw another school record fall as Jayda Williams clocked a 15.14 to finish 11th overall in the event. Williams now sits fifth in the in the conference the region, while teammate Jada Johnson crossed the line in 16.88 to finish 18th overall.
 
The women's 400m saw personal best performances as all five athletes finished the one lap event in under 60 seconds. Greenwood paced the group, crossing the line in 58.25, followed by Madison Rowe in 58.34, Caylee Conley in 59.21, and Kendall Fellegy in 59.95s, while Kaitlyn Cedillo at 60.08 and Amore Armstrong 62.15 Rounded out the event for Southeastern. All five athletes currently rank in the top nine spots in the conference and top 11 in the region.
 
In the women's 100m, Karissa Nixon blazed to a school record, clocking a 12.45 to finish eighth overall in the event. Her last 100m time before coming to Southeastern was 13.34, and her new time now ranks ninth GAC and the region.
 
Teammate Charisma Lacy-Ray finished 14th overall clocking 12.71s.
 
In the 800m, Ashlynn Pitts was the fastest finisher of the day, competing in the event for first time and  stopping the clock in 2:29.27. Teammates, Ashlyn Vasquez, Savannah Sandoval, Genevi Martinez, and Aereonna Cardenas rounded out the field, all finishing top 16 in the event.
 
The women's 3000m event led by Kesterson, who posted a personal best of 11:19.43s to finish third overall, while Sarah Coblentz, Longoria and Yazmin Reyes rounded out the field all finishing top seven in the event. In the event.
 
In the field events, Macayla Needham broke the school record in the Hammer, launching the implement 47.62m to finish second in the event, with her distance currently sitting at No. 2 in the conference and the Central region, while ranking top 25 in the Nation.
 
Samantha Wallis was next best with 40.16m to finish 10th in the event and ranking seventh in the conference and eighth regionally.
 
Keitian Bell threw 38.26m to finish 14th in the event and ranked eighth in the conference and ninth in the region.
 
In the Discus, Needham tossed 34. 86m to finish 6th in the event, while Keitian Bell was next with 33.92m.
 
In the Shot Put, Needham shattered the school record with a throw of 13.74m to place second in the event, while her throw currently ranks first in the conference, second in the region, and sixth in the nation.
 
In the Jumping events, Jayda Williams picked up two more school records leaping 5.27m in the Long Jump and 10.89m in the triple jump.