Track & Field | 5/25/2023 10:17:00 PM
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The women of the North Carolina A&T outdoor track and field team brought their A-game to the second day of the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round Thursday evening at the University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium. It was the first day of competition for the women.
Two of the three contestants who competed at Hodges Stadium – graduates Paula Salmon and Jada Griffin – qualified for their respective quarterfinal events scheduled for Saturday evening at Hodges Stadium.
Salmon is familiar with the NCAA East quarterfinals. Salmon gave an excellent showing, running her lowest time this season in the 100-meter hurdles even though it will not get recorded that way because she was aided by a plus-4.9 wind when she finished the sixth heat in 12.75. In heat No. 6, Salmon finished just behind the nation's No.2 hurdler, the University of Kentucky's Masai Russell (12.40).
Salmon's time was fourth overall, earning her a pass to the quarterfinals on Saturday. In her third career appearance at an NCAA East prelim meet, Salmon will be making her third appearance in a 100H quarterfinal after reaching the quarters each of the previous two seasons. In 2021, she went on to win second-team All-America honors in the 100H. Last season, she finished fourth nationally to earn first-team All-America accolades.
Griffin is another experienced track and field athlete for the Aggies after spending four seasons with the N.C. State Wolfpack. She tackled two events on Thursday, qualifying for one. In the 400m, her specialty, Griffin finished third in Heat 1 with a time of 53.13. By finishing in the top three of her heat, she automatically qualified for the quarterfinals.
She ranked 13th among the 39 competitors who took the track. Griffin made the 400m quarterfinals last season with the Wolfpack but failed to make NCAA nationals. On Saturday, she will make her second career appearance in the NCAA's East 400m quarterfinals and will look to make her first NCAA outdoor championships. Griffin was not as fortunate in the 200m, where she clocked 23.38. She missed the top-24 mark after placing sixth in Heat 1 and ranking 31st overall.
On Thursday, Nwosu competed in her first NCAA East prelim, finishing third in the second flight and 24th overall as her best throw measured at 51-feet, 7-inches. Despite not making the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Nwosu recorded her second-best throw this season and the third-best of her collegiate career (indoor and outdoor).
The men will return to the races on Friday for the quarterfinals. Reheem Hayles and Shemar Chambers will take on three events together: the 400m, the 4x100, and the 4x400.
