Jefferson, Bennett, and Keeler Lead Chants at Gamecock Invitational

Saturday, April 3

Conway, S.C.

Coastal Carolina University

Chanticleer Challenge

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Photo by: Bob McCool, Coastal Athletic Media Relations

Jefferson, Bennett, and Keeler Lead Chants at Gamecock Invitational

4/11/2021 12:25:00 AM | Track & Field/Cross Country

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Chants earn 18 top-10 finishes in Columbia

By: Quentin Reed

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Melissa Jefferson, Braydon Bennett, and Aaron Keeler led the Chanticleer track and field team at the Gamecock Invitational on Saturday with first-place and 18 top-10 finishes.

WOMEN

Jefferson and teammate Jermaisha Arnold recorded times in their respective events on Saturday to put them in the top level of NCAA's fastest times.

In the 100 meters, Jefferson picked up her third victory of the season as she ran a personal best time and the 11th fastest in the NCAA this season at 11.27 (2.0).

Arnold finished fourth overall in the 400-meter race but second overall of collegiate runners with a personal best time of 52.91, good for a top-25 time in the nation.

The 4x400 team with Arnold, Shani'a Bellamy, and Lauren Gordon picked up a third-place finish with the second-best time of the season at 3:43.36.

Bellamy earned fourth place in the 100-meter hurdles with a personal-best time and team-best time of 13.76.

In the triple jump, Kayla Ulmer also earned a personal-best and team-best in the triple jump with a mark of 12.22 meters (2.1), good for fourth place.

Combined event athlete Nikki Boon added two top-15 performances on the day.

The Dronten, Netherlands native, finished fourth in the javelin as she threw a distance of 36.72 meters. Later, Boon tied for 12th in the shot put with 11.79 meters, behind her teammate India Wright, who placed ninth at 12.71 meters, tying her personal -best mark of her young career.

In the 200 meters, freshman Amaryah White added a sixth-place finish with a personal-best time and the second-fastest time this season by a Coastal sprinter at 24.00 (2.1).

Coastal's Ashley Rulison and Mycal Bowser picked up eighth-place results in their respective events to round out the women's squad.

Rulison finished with a personal-best time of 4:51.15 in the 1500 meters, while Bowser finished at 5.55 meters (2.4) in the long jump.

MEN

Aaron Keeler picked up his first career victory in the javelin as he set a personal best of 55.76 meters, almost three meters more than his previous best mark.

Braydon Bennett matched his personal-best time in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.92 (2.3), good for his second victory this season.

In the 400 meters, freshman DeVonte Harris placed seventh as he set a personal-best mark of 48.77.

Two-sport CCU athlete Alex Spillum finished sixth in the long jump with a mark of 6.82 meter (2.1).

Junior Jalen Parrish earned an eighth-place finish in the triple jump with a distance of 13.78 meters (2.5).

Distance runner Andrew Southard ran his second-fast time of the season in the 800 meters with a time of 1:59.07.

Chanticleers Jeremiah Talbert, Jerardo Perez, and Doug Mullen earned 10th-place finishes to round out the day in Columbia.

Talbert added a personal-best time of 21.47 (3.2) in the 200 meters. Perez's 4:15.14 also was a personal best in the 1500 meters, while Mullen placed 10th of the 5000 meters at 15:54.11.

For complete coverage of CCU Cross Country and Track and Field, follow the Chanticleers on social media at @CoastalTFXC (Twitter), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), and facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.