WSSU Lady Rams Win 2015 CIAA Indoor Track & Field Championship

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina – The Winston-Salem State Lady Rams took home the 2015 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Indoor Track & Field Championship with a stellar performance on day two of the two-day meet. After opening the meet with 22 points on the opening day, the Lady Rams piled up 118 points on the second day of the meet to bring home the championship.

The conference championship was a big accomplishment for the Lady Rams' seniors who have experienced three top three finishes since 2011. "I've been waiting for this since my freshman year," senior sprinter Nya Michaux said. "For us to finish second, and third every year since then and now it's finally here and I am so proud to be a part of this team."

The championship was also especially important to fellow senior long jumper Tajanel McNeill, who was named the CIAA Indoor Field MVP for the third straight season. "This feels really good," McNeill said. "I told them [the team] at the beginning of the year; it's not about us it's about the team. So for us to win this championship together means more to me than any individual award."

The Lady Rams took the championship behind some inspired individual efforts both on and off the track. One of the key performances in the meet came when junior sprinter Raven Covington took first place in the women's 60m dash with a 7.47 to score 10 key points for the Lady Rams. Another great effort came from freshman distance runner Domtilla Kipsaget who won the women's 3000m run with a 10:13.2 and second place in the women's mile run with a 5:17.60. Another key performance came in the women's 200m dash where senior sprinter Nya Michaux placed second with a 25.19. Freshman Ty-Leah Hampton added a fourth-place finish in the event with a 25.51. Sophomore Raven Hamilton also picked up some key points in the women's 800m run when she placed second with a 2:16.66.

In field events, senior Tajanel McNeil capped her stellar career with another fine performance at the conference championships. She won the women's triple jump with a 40'11.75" (12.49m) leap to go along with her second place finish in the women's long jump, yesterday. She also added a third place finish in the women's high jump at 5'3" (1.60m). Senior Raven Byrd also had a great performance in the women's pentathlon with 2,976 points to place third in the multi-event. Senior DaVona Dula also stepped up her efforts with a second place finish in the women's shot put with a 41'00.25" (12.50m) throw.

With the effort, the Lady Rams close out the conference portion of their schedule and will turn their attentions to national competition as they head to Chapel Hill, N.C. to take part in the Kent Taylor Invitational. For more information on Lady Rams track & field, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to www.WSSURams.com.

RESULTS

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