The U. Central Florida women’s track team kept its season alive this weekend, thanks to strong performances at the NCAA East Regionals that kept three Knights in pursuit of national titles.
Freshman Sonnisha Williams and sophomores Sheila Paul and Jackie Coward each nabbed a spot in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Oregon next week.
Williams didn’t take long to snag her spot when she qualified in the long jump on Thursday.
Williams saved her best for last in the event. As her final preliminary jump approached,
Williams was not positioned to make the finals, but she posted a jump of 6.25 meters that not only earned her a spot in the finals, but also gave her the school and freshman records. Her jump held through the final round and she finished eighth in the event, giving her one of 12 spots in the national championship.
“It was a very impressive performance from Sonnisha Williams as she qualified for nationals as well as junior nationals and broke the school and freshman records,” head coach Caryl Smith Gilbert said in a release.
Paul also earned her ticket to the national championship in thrilling fashion. She finished third in her semifinal heat of the 100-meter dash Friday — but just barely. She posted a time of 11.54, just before Southern Miss’ Chastity Riggien, who finished with a time of 11.55.
Also on Friday, Coward finished second in her semifinal heat, putting herself in position to earn her own ticket to nationals in the 100-meter hurdles. Coward finished third in her heat Saturday with a time 13.11. The time left her in ninth place overall and sent her to nationals.
“Jackie Coward had a strong performance as she competed up to her ability,” Smith Gilbert said in a release. “After a tough day [Thursday], she pulled through today with a much better effort. We will get ready for nationals with Sonnisha, Sheila and Jackie.”
Senior Tiki James barely missed earning a second consecutive trip to nationals. She finished fifth in her semifinal heat of the 100 hurdles with a time of 13.22, leaving her just two hundredths of a second short of earning an at-large qualifying bid.
Although her time ranked 15th in the East region, a time of 13.39 would have given her a national bid if she were in the West Regional.
“It was a bittersweet day overall,” Smith Gilbert said in a release. “LaKendra [Thames] twisted her knee in the discus and had trouble after that. For Tiki, she has had three of four events under 13.30 this season despite missing 11 weeks due to injury. She was able to qualify for the USA Championships this summer, so it will be exciting for her to get more races under her belt and prepare for that.”
Thames, a senior, also just missed qualifying for the national championship in the discus. She competed in the national championship for the event last year. The top 16 finishers in the event earned bids, but Thames fell just outside of that, finishing 17th with a throw of 47.93 meters.
Thames also missed a national bid in the shot put. She finished 37th in the field with a top throw of 14.19 meters.
Eleven Knights competed in the East Regional and were coming off a come-from-behind conference championship victory, the program’s first since entering Conference USA.
Williams, Coward and Paul will travel to Eugene, Ore., to compete in the NCAA National Championships from Wednesday to June 13.