The University of Redlands track & field teams hosted the Redlands Final Qualifying Meet on Wednesday and Thursday in Ted Runner Stadium amidst beautiful conditions in the final home athletic event of the spring. With hopes of surpassing the necessary marks to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships, the Bulldogs fired off multiple career- and season-best performances while competing against Olympic-caliber athletes who represented multiple countries.
Senior Joey Colucci (San Jose, CA) led the impressive outing by uncorking a season-best time of 10.59 in the 100 Meters, which moved him up to 10th in the nation. He finished fourth in the race on Ashel Cunningham Track behind two unattached runners and a runner representing the Philippines.
Junior Myles Speegle (Castro Valley, CA) also shined in this event by going 10.74 for his fastest of the season.
Furthermore, sophomore Afari La-Anyane (Morgan Hill, CA) stepped up with a career-best time of 14.68 in the 110 Hurdles, which places him 26th in the nation. He took third overall but first among the collegiate athletes.
Freshman Matthew Hayashi (Hacienda Heights, CA) registered a career-best mark in the Shot Put with a heave of 43' 8" to finish third on Thursday.
The women's 4x100 Relay of sophomore Courtney Crain (Happy Valley, OR), junior Jasmine Ramos (Santa Fe Springs, CA), freshman Kara Romani (Sacramento, CA), and junior Alison Smith (McKinleyville, CA) put together its best time of the season by crossing the finish line in 48.56 for second place.
Romani went on to impress in the Long Jump with a career-best leap of 18' 7" to now rank 24th in the nation.
In addition, sophomore Emily Guthormsen (Half Moon Bay, CA) ran a career-best time of 2:26.02 in the 800 Meters, while senior Kylie Scott (Snohomish, WA) topped her personal standard with a heave of 138' 1" in the Hammer Throw.
Redlands now looks forward to Saturday's official announcement regarding the qualifiers for the NCAA Division III Championships, which take place May 26-28 in Waverly, Iowa.
