Track & Field Enjoys Another Record Performance At Alabama Relays

COMPLETE RESULTS

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – It was another record performance for the University of New Orleans track and field team at the John Mitchell Alabama Relays as freshman Michael Nicholls tied the school record in the 110-meter hurdles on Saturday afternoon at Sam Baily Track & Field Stadium.

Nicholls clocked a 14.17 in the event, equaling the mark established by Jesse White in 1996, to finish fourth among the 31 student-athletes to run the 110 hurdles. He was also one of nine season-best performers on Saturday as the Privateers and the other participating teams had to perform in a condensed schedule after Thursday and Friday's events were affected by inclement weather.

Other members of UNO's men's teams to post season-best outings were junior Michael Batson in the 800 meters, junior Alireza Rafiei in the shot put and the discus and the quartet of freshman Marquis Rogers, Batson, junior Dario Scantlebury and junior Darren Darensburg in the 4x400 relay. Batson finished fourth in the 800 meters with a 1:52.23 while Rafiei was ninth in the shot put (15.45m) and 21st in the discus (42.00m). The 4x400 relay unit, meanwhile, finished 18th with a 3:26.14.

On the women's side, freshman Alba Fernandez clocked a season-best 12.15 in the 100-meter dash to finish sixth and rookie Jordan Courtois cleared a personal-best 3.40 meters in the pole vault to rank 18th overall. All three of the Privateers to participate in the women's 100-meter hurdles, meanwhile, posted season-best times as junior Alexia Fortenberry finished third with a 13.59, junior Farydah Inoussa was 12th at 14.38 and senior Lakayla LaFrance was 29th with a 15.48.

Junior Jared Robertson paced UNO with a mark of 9:58.09 to finish ninth in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase and Scantlebury led the Privateers were led in the men's 400-meter hurdles with a 56.74 to finish 23rd. Nicholls, Queen, Rogers and Darensburg joined forces to clock a 42.83 and come in 14th in the men's 4x100 relay.

For the women, senior Callie Willcox headlined the squad in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with an 11:38.39 to finish seventh while Inousa was 11th in the long jump with a measurement of 5.64 meters and 19th in the high jump with at 1.55 meters to come in 19th.

The Privateers return to action on Friday, March 25, when they head to Lafayette, Louisiana, to take part in the Ragin' Cajun Invitational. That meet will run through Saturday, March 26. From there, UNO will participate in the Texas Relays from March 30-April 2, the McNeese State Invitational on April 9, the Southeastern Invitational on April 16 and the LSU Alumni Gold Meet on April 23 before heading to Hammond, Louisiana, for the Southland Conference Outdoor Championship from May 4-7.