TSU Track & Field Turns Focus to OVC Championship

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State University's men's and women's track & field teams participate in the 2012 Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championship this Friday and Saturday, May 4-5. The championship starts Friday at Noon at Abe Stuber Track Complex in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Majority of the field events take place on Friday, while most running events are in the preliminary stages. On Saturday, the opening ceremony kicks off field events at 10 a.m., followed by the final running events beginning at 1 p.m.

As of Thursday, TSU has 15 top-5 marks in the OVC. Freshman Ashontae Jackson has two top-5 marks.

The Gordonville, Va., product ranks second in the women's long jump, leaping 5.93m (19-5 ½) at the Vanderbilt Invitational. In the 200-meter dash, Jackson sprinted 24.25 seconds for fifth in the league.



Senior Arthur Combest has two top-5 marks. Combest is third in the high jump, clearing 2.03m (6-8) at the Boston-Moon Classic. He ranks fourth in the 110-meter hurdles, pacing a time of 14.72 seconds.

Also in the high jump, freshman Sean Jenkins is tied for fourth after his distance of 1.98m (6-6) at the Vanderbilt Invitational.

Jahleel Michael, a freshman for the Flying Tigers, is fifth in the 400-meter hurdles with his time of 53.88.

The Tigerbelles have two top-5 marks in the women's triple jump. Ja'Lyn Burr's distance of 11.60m (38-0 ¾) is third, followed by Daniecce Ward's fourth-place leap of 11.58m (38-0).

In the men's triple jump, senior Avian Hughes ranks fourth with his three-step distance of 14.12m (46-4). Brittani Logan enters the OVC Championships with a fifth-place ranking of 13.64m (44-9) in the shot put.

The TSU relay 4x400-meter teams are both ranked third with the men logging a time of 3:16.75 and the women pacing 3:47.31.

Live results of this weekend's OVC Championships will be available online at GoSoutheast.com. Recap and official results will be posted online at TSUTigers.com.

OVC Championship Central

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION