Dukes Finish Action at VMI Winter Relays, Sykes Sabock Challenge

Friday, February 7

Lexington, Va.

TBA

James Madison University

VMI Winter Relays

Dukes Finish Action at VMI Winter Relays, Sykes Sabock Challenge

2/8/2020 7:23:00 PM | Track & Field

@JMUTrackField VMI Results (PDF)Sykes Results (PDF)

LEXINGTON, Va. – James Madison track and field wrapped up the final day of action at the VMI Winter Relays while a few Dukes also competed at the Sykes Sabock Challenge held at Penn State on Saturday.

Day Two (VMI Winter Relays)
In the sole field competition for the Dukes, Paris Beaver turned in a personal best mark of 5.10 meters, winning her heat and securing fifth place out of 23 competitors.

After qualifying for the finals on Friday, Alexys Taylor finished fifth with a time of 7.81 seconds in the 60m race. In the 200m race, Lauren Smith notched a season-best time of 26.23 seconds.

Day One (VMI Winter Relays)
To start the day off, Bethany Biggi notched a second-place finish in the pentathlon with a score of 2,920. In the pentathlon, Biggi won the high jump with a mark of 1.58m and finished second in the shot put with a throw of 8.59m, a season-long mark.

Alexys Taylor secured a spot in the 60m finals on Saturday after finishing the preliminary race in 7.87 seconds (ninth) then winning her heat in the semifinals with an ECAC qualifying time of 7.74 seconds.

In the triple jump, Shelby Staib earned a top-five finish as she recorded a distance of 11.02 meters to land in fourth place out of 14 competitors. Once again, Rachel Lloyd put forth an impressive effort in the pole vault, finishing in second place with a mark of 3.35m.

Jamie Richards achieved a personal record in the weight throw, calculating a distance of 12.57m.

Quoting Coach McCown
"We achieved five personal best performances, six top-five finishes along with another ECAC qualifier," Ron McCown said. "I would consider that a good weekend of competition for this group. Congratulations to Alexys Taylor on her ECAC mark in the semifinals."

Sykes Sabock Challenge
Skyla Davidson began competition for the Dukes at the Sykes Sabock Challenge with a ninth-place finish in the long jump, securing a distance of 5.53 meters. Additionally, Davidson ran the 60m hurdles in a personal record, ECAC qualifying time of 8.84 seconds.

In the 60m race, Meredith Willis ran the semifinal race in 7.71 seconds to qualify for the finals where she finished in 7.66 seconds, crossing the finish line in sixth. In the 200m race, Willis finished in 24.49 seconds, earning fifth place out of 30 runners.

Porsha Miles secured a tenth-place finish in the 400m race with a time of 58.01 seconds. In the 3000m race, Caitlin Swanson led the way for the Dukes finishing in fifth with a season-best time of 10:13.56.

McKenzi Watkins (10:16.08) and Brooke Manion (10:18.77) also secured top-10 placements in the 3000m race as they finished in eighth and ninth, respectively.

In the 4x400m race the team of Miles, Tess Lee, Dardlie Lefevre and Jordan Bourgeois ran the fastest 4x400m time this season for the Dukes, clocking an ECAC qualifying time of 3:51.17 to place third.

Quoting Director Frias
"It was a solid day," Ta' Frias said. "We had a few personal bests and ECAC qualifying marks. The goal will be to build on today and get better each week."

Up Next
JMU returns to action next weekend when part of the team will compete at the Darius Dixon Memorial (Feb. 14-15) held at Liberty while a few other Dukes compete at the David Hemery Valentine Invite (Feb. 14) held at Boston University.