Full Results

BIRMINGHAM – Jacksonville State opened the 2010 outdoor track and field season with a pair of first, two seconds and one third place finishes to take fourth at the Southern Invitational on Saturday.

Alabama State won the women's team title 20 team field. UAB was second followed by Samford, JSU and Lipscomb to round out the top five. Albion, Shorter, Birmingham-Southern, Bevill and Berry were sixth through tenth.

"Given today's lousy weather I would say we had a so so day to open our 2010 outdoor campaign, but they were a few bright spots throughout the day,” said JSU Head Coach Steve Ray. “Christina turned in a solid effort to win the long jump and Amber picked up the win in the pole vault. Freshman Elizabeth Bonds had a very respectable second place showing in the 400 dash as did Latasha Sturkie in the 400 hurdles. Freshman Ericka Stam, running in her first ever 3000 meter steeplechase, came home third and Chelsea Denson added a fourth place effort in the pole vault. We did manage to finish fourth in the field of twenty teams, but we have a lot of work to do to get to the level that this group is capable of being. Hopefully everyone will return from spring break, energized and ready to throw down some quality workouts followed up by even better meet performances.”

Amber Wiley and Christina Tupper took home gold for the Gamecocks. Wiley won the pole vault with a height of 3.35 meters while Tupper claimed long jump gold with a distance of 5.47 meters. Chelsea Denson was also fourth place finish in the pole vault with 3.05 meters and Page Harris was fifth in the long jump with a distance of 5.11 meters.

Elizabeth Bond ran a personal best 56.28 to take second in the 400-meter dash and Latasha Sturkie placed second in the 400-meter hurdles with a 1:08.11. Running in her first ever steeplechase, Ericka Stam finished third with a time of 12:10.83.

Shira Butler ran a 1:11.10 to pace fifth and Natasha Sturkie was eight with a 1:13.82 in the 400-meter hurdles.

Jacksonville State returns to action on Mach 27-28 at the Alabama Relays in Tuscaloosa, Ala.