Howard Track & Field Contends at the UNF Spring Break Invitational

HU continues to make strides

(Photo Credit – Steve Worthy)

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (March 22, 2019) – Howard University men’s and women’s track and field continued its outdoor season at the UNF Spring Break Invitational, hosted by the University of North Florida (UNF), where they had multiple Bison excel.

Junior Oluchi Ike (Upper Marlboro, Md.) and sophomore Jessika Gbai (Philadelphia) highlighted the women’s side.

Ike, reigning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Women’s Track Athlete of the Week, placed fourth in the 400-meter hurdles after running a season-best (1:01.28).

Fellow classmate Uchechi Onuoha (Yardly, Pa.) also took part in the event with a seventh-place finish (1:02.10).

Gbai competed in the women’s 200-meter dash where she clocked in at 24.09. For her efforts, the Philadelphia native advanced to the 2019 MEAC Outdoor Championships and the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Outdoor Championships in Princeton, N.J.

Gbai, Onuoha, sophomore Ameenah Saalih (Willingboro, N.J.) and newcomer Kennedy Lewis (Atlanta) ran in the women’s 4x100 relays where they posted an ECAC qualifying mark (46.20).

Another notable Bison is second-year runner Destiny Stanford (Woolwhich Township, N.J.) finishing with a 4:44.33 time in the women’s 1500-meter run.

On the men’s side, Baltimore native’s sophomore Mekhi Closson and freshman Aariq Nixon led the way.

Closson registered a 49.19 in the men’s 400-meter dash while Nixon claimed fifth overall in the 800-meter run (1:53.88). Both Bison qualified for the IC4A Outdoor Championships in Princeton, N.J.

To view results from the 2019 UNF Spring Break Invitational, please click here.

On March 29-30, Director of Track and Field David Oliver and the Bison travel to Richmond, Va. for the Fred Hardy Invitational, hosted by the University of Richmond. Both days will be streamed on ESPN+.