LATech TandF Dominates in Jim Mize Invitational

RUSTON, La. - Louisiana Tech dominated the Tech-hosted Jim Mize Invitational Saturday with an impressive performance on the track notching big wins over LSU, ULM and Northwestern State.

In all Louisiana Tech won 15 of the 36 events with the women winning half (9 of 18) of the events in the meet while the men won five of 18.

In the triple-dual scoring method used in the meet, the women's team went 3-0 with wins over ULM (269-201), LSU (277-82) and Northwestern State (242-181) while the men's team went 3-0 with wins over LSU (254-121), Northwestern State (274-109) and Alcorn State (286-124). If the meet had been traditionally scored, both programs would have claimed first place.

In her first meet as a Lady Techster, Jasmine Adekoya set a new school record in the hammer throw with a mark of 160-7 (48.95m) breaking the old record of 151-2 (46.07m) set by Tawanna Williams in 2003.  

As what normally happens when LA Tech hits the track, the Lady Techsters dominated in the sprints with Brittany Walker winning the 100m with a time of 11.79 while Victoria Wade finished second with a time of 12.01. In the 200m, Charla Craddock won with a time of 24.26 while Aminah Blount followed with a time of 24.60 to claim second.

LA Tech went 1-2-3 in the women's 400m with Aldresha Bailey (55.62) winning, Cassie Divin (58.03) placing second and Diamond Every (58.78) finishing third. Kim Francisstarted her outdoor season off strong as she won the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.54 while Marlesia Carey ran 14.28 to finish second. Taneka Henderson claimed third in the 400m hurdles, running 1:03.82.

The Lady Techsters would sweep the relays as the 4x100m relay of Francis, Blount, Craddock and Wade ran 45.34 to finish first while the "B" relay team of LaQuanda James, Walker, Mia Adams and Calishia Mendoza finished second with a time of 46.45. The 4x400m relay team of Bailey, Blount, Divin and Every ran 3:47.32 to win.

Chloe Lautric, a recent addition to the program, jumped 5-8.75 to win the high jump while Danielle Zenon (19-7, 5.97m) edged teammate Craddock for the long jump title.SaBrittany Angelle won the shot put with a throw of 45-2.25 (13.77m).

On the men's side the 2014 Conference USA Indoor Freshman of the Year Jermey Hicks won the 100m dash with a time of 10.54 while Trey Hadnot ran 20.96 to win the 200m. Hicks and Hadnot would team with Devin Henderson and Kameron Sheffield in the 4x100m relay to win with a time of 39.99.

In the 400m, Jaquvis Hart ran 48.37 to claim second place while the men's 4x400m relay team of Jacolby Cooper, Hart, Darius Statham and Christopher Sampract finished second with a time of 3:15.39.

Tamario Lattin won the high jump with a height of 6-4.75 (1.95m) while Jarvis Gotch, another recent addition to the program, jumped 25-4.75 (7.74m) in the long jump to claim first.

The Bulldogs went 1-2 in the shot put as Aaron Orduno won with a throw of 52-0.5 (15.86m) while William Washington followed with a mark of 49-1.75 (14.98m).

Several other Jim Mize Track & Field Complex facility records were set Saturday. Charlene Lipsey (unattached) ran 4:28.41 in the women's 1,500m run topping the old record of 4:37.32 set by Samantha Diaz (Nevada) in 2010. LSU's Andria Aguilar set a new facility record in the 3,000m run with a time of 10:27.20 topping the old time of 10:34.18 set by Kelly Tobin (Southwest Louisiana, now UL-Lafayette) in 1991. The Tigers' Rebekah Wales also set a facility record with a javelin throw of 166-11 (50.87m) breaking the old record of 49.28m set by Brenda Grace-Hunt (unattached) in 2007.

Louisiana Tech returns to action next weekend with split squad action in Texas. The sprinters and jumpers will head to the Texas Relays in Austin, Texas while the distance runners will go to the Bayou Classic Distance Carnival in Houston, Texas hosted by Conference USA foe Rice.