WILLIAMS PACES TRACK & FIELD ON OPENING DAY OF BIG SOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS

Thursday, May 14

High Point, N.C.

All Day

Radford University

Big South Outdoor Championships

Photo by: Richard Shumaker

WILLIAMS PACES TRACK & FIELD ON OPENING DAY OF BIG SOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS

5/14/2015 10:19:00 PM | Women's Track and Field

2015 Big South Outdoor Track & Field Championships :: May 14-16
Vert Stadium :: High Point University :: High Point, N.C.
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Radford :: Outdoor Track
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HIGH POINT, N.C. ---- Shania Williams led Radford on the opening day of the Big South Outdoor Championships on Thursday at the Dick Vert Stadium with a sixth-place finish in the discus. After just four scored events, the Highlanders are in eighth place.

Williams scored Radford's first team-points of the week, finishing the discus competition in sixth place. She recorded a new personal best with a distance of 40.68m (133-5) and was the top freshman in the event. Emmalene Hale took ninth with a heave of 38.80m (127-3), as Naihla Rose-Delia finished in 13th with a mark of 36.84m (120-10).

In just her second appearance in the discipline, Madeline Thomas placed in the top 10 in the 10,000-meter finals, turning in a 38:16.48. Thomas' previous performance at the distance came at the High Point VertKlasse earlier this season, where she ran a 38:54.72.

After four events in the heptathlon, Jessica Shelton sits in fourth with 2,746 points, as Monica Mallory is in fifth-place with 2,600 points. Shelton opened the competition with a 14.89 in the 100-meter high hurdles to earn 856 points toward her total. Mallory turned in 15.62 for 762 points. The Highlander duo went 8-9 in the high jump, clearing 1.49m (4-10.50) for 610 points each. Shelton turned in her second top-five finish of the event in the shot put, taking fifth with a toss of 10.25m (33-7.50). Mallory's mark of 10.18m (33-4.75) took sixth and tallied 541 points. Shelton's day concluded in the 200-meter dash, turning in a time of 26.74 for 734 points and a fifth-place finish. Mallory ran a 27.30 for 687 points.

Both Malina Richardson and Teresa Williamson qualified for the finals in the 1,500-meter run. Richardson took fourth, crushing her former personal best by nearly eight seconds with a time of 4:40.60 in the second heat. Williamson won the first heat with a time of 4:45.10. The finals of the 1,500 meters will be run on Saturday, May 16.

In the long jump, Jamiecka Baker finished 14th with a season-best leap of 5.20m (17.00.75). Morgan Harris had a best on the day of 4.92m (16-1.75).

As the lone Highlander in the 400-meter hurdles, Cara Myrtle finished in 12th, missing a chance to compete in Saturday's finals. Myrtle clocked a personal-best 1:03.81.

Reanna Hamm ran a personal best in the 200-meter dash, clocking a 25.80. Despite her career best, Hamm did not qualify past prelims.

For the latest news on the Radford women's track and field team, follow the Highlanders on Twitter at @RadfordTrackXC. To keep up with all Radford athletics, follow @RU_Athletics on Twitter.