No. 4 Lady T-Birds host first meet in nearly three decades
Two school records broken at inaugural Ross Black Open
HOBBS, N.M. — For nearly three decades the campus at New Mexico Junior College has gone without hosting a track meet as the women's program has been forced to be road warriors – never getting the satisfaction of competing on its home turf.
That streak ended Saturday as the Lady Thunderbirds hosted the Ross Black Open at the newly named Ross Black Field of Champions.
Starting with a ceremony officially naming the facility after Black – NMJC's first athletic director, men's basketball and track coach – with his family in attendance as well as many members from the 1971 NMJC men's national championship track team he coached, the event seemed to be a long time coming for many.
Fourth-ranked NMJC had a strong showing at an event that hosted schools such as West Texas A&M, Western Texas, Wayland Baptist, New Mexico Highlands, Eastern New Mexico and New Mexico Military Institute.
The Lady Thunderbirds set a pair of school records during the day. Georgia-signee Gleneve Grange broke her own NMJC record in the discus with a throw of 173 feet, 5 inches. She's ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA in the event by over 20 feet.
Grange also took second in the shot put (42-8 1/4) and third in the javelin (119-1 1/2).
Also breaking a school record was Northern Illinois-signee Micayla Collins in the triple jump with a distance of 41-8 3/4 – ranking her first in the NJCAA. Collins also took second in the long jump with a distance of 18-5 1/4 – missing out on first place by a half inch.
NMJC coach Keith Blackwill said competing at home definitely helped some of his athletes.
"It's great for them to be able to compete in front of friends and fellow athletes," Blackwill said. "Most of them have never seen them compete because we are always on the road. This has been a great opportunity for them."
NMJC had one new national qualifier at the meet as Markita Rush qualified in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.54 seconds.
The Lady T-Birds had three other individuals improve their national qualifying times. Mayah Edwards and Kayelle Clarke improved their national qualifying times in the 100 with Edwards taking first (11.6) while Clarke took third (11.75). Quadaisha Newkirk improved her national qualifying time in the 400 hurdles (1:01.37) as she finished second in the event.
The NMJC 4x100 relay team also improved its national qualifying mark with a time of 46.08.
Also finishing near or at the top of their respective event was Jahneya Mitchell in the 400 (second – 55.30), Ja'Ianna Williams in the 800 (third – 2:22.46), Silvia Sosa (first – 4:59.86) and Naomi Tanui (third – 5:05.47) in the 1,500, Purity Murray in the 5,000 (first – 19:23.51) and Kelsey Shannon in the high jump (tied for first – 5-7).
NMJC next competes at the West Texas A&M Open Twilight on Saturday in Canyon, Texas.