Track & Field 2k21: Horizon & SWAC Championships

Horizon League Championships

Youngstown State's Sammy Dyson captured the gold in shot put competition at the Horizon League Outdoor Track & Field Championships, May 7.

Above: Sammy Dyson

Before her final throw, Dyson was in fourth place as she threw 13.78 on her first attempt. Milwaukee's Lauren Lietzke threw 14.01 on her second throw which was the top mark until the fifth round of attempts when Youngstown State's Lauren Sheehan tossed her shot put to a mark of 14.11. On Dyson's final throw she hit a mark of 14.27. It was the third time of her career that she threw over 14 meters. At the Ashland Alumni Invitational on April 24, Dyson threw 14.84 and 14.58 in a second place finish.

The win was a part of a very successful weekend for Dyson. She also placed second in the discus throw and third in the hammer throw.

Below: Kyndia Matlock

Another Youngstown State star, Jahniya Bowers, won the 100 and 200 meters championships. Bowers time of 11.78, placed ahead of teammate and runner-up Kyndia Matlock (11.89) and Cleveland State's Tylar Mixon (12.10) in the 100 meters. Bowers won the 200 meters at 24.18, beating out runner-up Lynsey Shipley of Northern Kentucky. Mixon placed third in the race at 24.85. Matlock earned a third first place medal in the 400-meter relay along with Bowers, Logan Franczkowski and Teneisha Myers (46.35).

Shipley was on the runner-up squad in the 400-meter relay with Emily Phillips, Andrea Armstrong and Jailyn Ross, for Northern Kentucky (47.74). Shipley successfully defended her 400 meters championship. She had a late come from behind win in 2019 when she ran 56.20 as defending champ Chanel Gardner placed second at 56.38. This year was an even closer win as Shipley 55.73 edged out Teneisha Myers who finished second at 55.83.

SWAC Championships

Tionna Brown of Alabama State finished first four times at last weekend's SWAC championship meet. She won the 100 meters at 11.26 and 200 meters at 23.47. Brown also won the 400-meter relay at 45.05 with teammates Kyana Evans, Nia Jack and Halimah Barlow, before closing the day with the 1,600-meter relay crown at 3:44.87 with Evans, Vinnelle Grant and Michaela Lewis.

Below: Michaela Lewis

Arkansas Pine Bluff's Safiya John had a busy meet. She won the 100-meter hurdles at 13.66 and the heptathlon with 5,450 points. She also placed second in the high jump with a mark of 1.67. Safiya scored a fourth place finish for her team in the triple jump (12.27) and finished 10th in the long jump competition (5.48).

Below: Safiya John

Grambling's Sharon Labich won the 5,000 meters run (19:19) and 3,000-meter steeplechase (11:32.79). She also placed second in the 1,500 meters (4:43.95) and the third in the 800 meters (2:12.91). Alabama State's Michaela Lewis bested Labich, winning both the 800 meters (2:05.80) and 1,500 meters (4:42.79), along with her aforementioned win in the 1,600-meter relay.

Below: Tiara DeRosa

Mississippi Valley State's Tiara DeRosa won the shot put at 14.29 and discus throw at 48.01. It was her first outdoor championship win. She won the shot put indoor SWAC title at 14.61 in 2020. At this year's indoor meet she placed second in the shot put and third in the weight throw. Jackson State's Hannah White was the runner-up to DeRosa in both the shot put (13.67) and discus throw (47.52). White was the winner at this year's SWAC indoor championship (15.63).

Southern's Alexandria McCoy won the hammer throw at 51.19. She also had a fifth place showing in the shot put at 12.51.

Below: Kymoi Noray

Jackson State got another throws win from Kymoi Noray, who placed first in the javelin throw with a mark of 42.48. Noray, is a freshman who earned only her second career win in the javelin at a collegiate meet.