Men's Outdoor Track and Field 3/17/2024 2:04:00 PM

Track & Field Opens Outdoor Season at Spire Team Challenge

Leavenworth, Kan.-

Just two weeks after competing at the NAIA Indoor National Championships, the Ottawa University track & field team competed in its first outdoor meet of the season this weekend at the Spire Team Challenge and Distance Carnival at the University of St. Mary. The OU women had the highest team score of the event with 135.5 points, and the OU men placed third with 74 points. However, this was a unique track meet that combined both the men's and women's team scores into one overall score, and with the combined point total the Braves finished 2^nd overall. The first meet of the outdoor season also produced 4 national championship-qualifying performances (JayOnna Perry in both the 100m hurdles & 400m hurdles, Deja Delaine in the discus throw, and Hadyn Bieling in high jump), two school records, and a plethora of lifetime-best performances.

On the men's side, the Braves were led Xavier Garza, who finished second in the 400m hurdles and 6^th in long jump, earning a team-high 11 total points. Other highlights for the men's team include:

Jahkoby Franklin who scored a total of 10.5 points by placing 6^th in the 100m dash, 4^th in the long jump, and led the men's 4x100m relay to a first place finish
Hadyn Bieling, who finished 1^st in the high jump with a leap of 2.02m, earning an NAIA "B" qualifying standard and 10 team points.
Daniel Blount, who finished 2^nd in high jump and 8^th in triple jumping, totaling 9 team points.
Chase Hight, who finished 3^rd in the javelin and 7^th in long jump, earning 8 team points.
Mario Cheatem, who finished 2^nd in long jump and earned 8 team points.
The men's 4x100m relay consisting of Jahkoby Franklin, Domonic Atkinstall, Cameron Jackson, and Jaylan Washington finished 1^st with a time of 41.94 seconds.

The OU women were led by Jordyn Weems, who tallied a team-high 28.5 points with a 1^st place finish in long jump, 2^nd place finished in both the 100 and 200 meter dash, and helping the mixed 4x400m relay team to a 1^st place finish. Other highlights for the lady Braves include:

Deja Delaine, who became the first OU Brave to qualify for the outdoor national championship this season by finishing in 1^st place in the discus throw with a school-record mark of 43.36 meters, which currently ranks 3^rd in the NAIA. Deja also placed 1^st in shot put and 2^nd in the hammer throw, earning her a total of 28 team points.
JayOnna Perry, who placed 1^st in the 100m hurdles with a time of 14.54 and an NAIA "B" qualifying mark, which places her 3^rd on the NAIA leaderboard. Shortly after, she placed 1^st in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:01.48, which is currently #1 in the NAIA and an NAIA "A" qualifying standard. She finished her day by placing 6^th in high jump and helping the mixed 4x400m relay team to a 1^st place finish—scoring a total of 25.5 points.
Carlee Gassman, who placed 3^rd in high jump, 5^th in the 400, and 7^th in long jump, earning 12 team points.
Jaine Johnson, who placed 4^th in discus and 4^th in hammer, earning 10 team points.
Jah'Nisha Campbell, who placed 4^th in high jump, 6^th in the 400, and 8^th in long jump, totaling 9 team points.
Juliet Lane, who placed 4^th in triple jump, 7^th in javelin, and 8^th in high jump, earning a total of 8 team points.

The combined (two men and two women) 4x400m relay team of Jordyn Weems, Athens Fawkes, JayOnna Perry, and Domonic Atkinstall finished in first place with a school-record time of 3:40.94 and earned the Braves 10 points.

Lifetime-Best performances: