Late Surge Vaults FAMU To MEAC Women's Track Title

The FAMU LAdy Rattlers won the 2014-15 Outdoor Championship
Head Coach: Dr. Darlene Moore
Assistant Coach: Tiffiny Morrow
Courtesy: Florida A&M Sports Information

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- The Florida A&M Women’s Track team used a furious scoring flurry in the final two events to surge past three-time defending champion Hampton University, 111-105, to capture the 2015 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Women’s Outdoor Track And Field Championship at the Irwin Belk Track on the North Carolina A&T campus Saturday afternoon.

Dr. Darlene Moore’s talented crew brought home the school’s 10th MEAC Outdoor title overall and the first since 2000, after trailing the Lady Pirates, 95-93 heading into the final two events: the 3000 meter steeple chase and the 4x400 relay.

But FAMU, which has dominated the league in Cross Country and distance events, used their vaunted Kenyan Connection of freshman Judith Kibii, junior Effiey Kosgei and sophomore Cynthia Chelelgo to tally 12 points to put them ahead of the Lady Pirates, who did not score in the event, 105-95.

Hampton did win the final event, the 4x400 relay, scoring 10 points, but the FAMU quartet of Jasmine Smith, Destiny Johnson, Raven Diggs and Jharna Alston, finished third, adding six points to seal the victory.

Saturday’s triumph was a sweet end to a long journey of rebuilding for FAMU coach Darlene Moore, who inherited a once-proud program which had fallen on hard times when she arrived in the summer of 2009.

Six years later, the Lady Rattler Track Program added a MEAC Outdoor title to its’ three consecutive Cross Country Championships, and with just six upperclassmen on the 20-person squad, the future is bright for Moore and her charges.

Part of the reward for the hard work of her and many others, Moore was selected as the Women’s Track and Field Outstanding Coach on Saturday.

“The girls and the coaching staff were a bit heart broken after indoors when we finished in fourth place,” Moore said. “We made a pact where we wanted to work hard and improve on our positioning and take home the victory at this year’s outdoor track and field championship.”

In addition, seven FAMU Women were named All-Conference for 2015; Judith Kibii, Florida A&M (5000m, 1500m, 3000m SC); Ashley Ivey, Florida A&M (Triple Jump); Andrea Aaron, Florida A&M (discus, javelin); Jasmine Smith, Florida A&M (4x400); Destiny Johnson, Florida A&M (4x400); Raven Diggs, Florida A&M (4x400); Jharna Alston (4x400).

MEAC Outdoor Track Women's Results

Team            Points
1. Florida A&M 111
2. Hampton 105
3. Bethune-Cookman 92.33
4. Norfolk State 76
5. North Carolina A&T State 74
6. Maryland Eastern Shore 72
7. Morgan State 54
8. Howard 42.33
9. Coppin State 33.33
10. South Carolina State 28
T11. Delaware State 20
T11. North Carolina Central 20
12. Savannah State 13

2015 All-MEAC Outdoor First Team

Judith Kibii, Florida A&M (5000m); Kiara Howell, Norfolk State (discus, JT); Deandra Daniel, Coppin State (HJ); Deidra Jordan, Bethune-Cookman (heptathlon); Ke’von Lumb, Morgan State (LJ); Jess St. John, Morgan State (SP); Morgan Knight, North Carolina A&T State (PV, 100mH); India Brown, North Carolina A&T State (4x100); Reneazia Collins, North Carolina A&T State (4x100); Latrese Barker, North Carolina A&T State (4x100); Qizeah Jackson, North Carolina A&T State (4x100); Ce’aira Brown, Hampton (1500m, 800m, 4x400); Malekah Holland, Hampton (400m, 4x400); Tristie Johnson, Bethune-Cookman (100m); Tanaya Yarde, Coppin State (400mH); Ashley Ivey, Florida A&M (TJ); Le’Quisha Parker, Hampton (200m, 4x400); Ishakeema Swain, Morgan State (3000m SC); Tanisha Greene, Hampton (4x400).

All-MEAC Second Team

Ishakeema Swain, Morgan State (5000m); Andrea Aaron, Florida A&M (discus, JT); Jailah Mason, Morgan State (HJ); Hanah Billups, Howard (heptathlon); Kaydianne McKenzie, Norfolk State (LJ); Desiree Richardson, Bethune-Cookman (SP); Tiara Davis, Norfolk State (PV); Summer Brown, Bethune-Cookman (4x100); Tristie Johnson, Bethune-Cookman (4x100, 200m); Carlecia Spivey, Bethune-Cookman (4x100); Shalaneya Bryant, Bethune-Cookman (4x100); Judith Kibii, Florida A&M (1500m, 3000m SC); Jasmine Vaughan, Norfolk State (100mH); Tanisha Greene, Hampton (400m); India Brown, North Carolina A&T State (100m); Jheniel Kelly, Maryland Eastern Shore (800m); Kourtney Keller, Hampton (400mH); Shauntel Lucius, Maryland Eastern Shore (TJ); Rayanna Relerford, Delaware State (4x400); KeShaun Davis, Delaware State (4x400); Sabrina Burrell, Delaware State (4x400); Omealla Gordon, Delaware State (4x400.

All-MEAC Third Team

Ce’aira Brown, Hampton (5000m); Kristen Deacon, Coppin State (discus); Kasie Trigg, Bethune-Cookman (HJ); Jaymi White, Savannah State (heptathlon); Darlene Girardeau, North Carolina Central (LJ); Cheyenne Bellerand, Howard (SP); Te’Shaibrah Myles, Norfolk State (PV); Morgan Durham, Delaware State (JT); Kristian Young, Hampton (4x100); Tanisha Green (4x100); Meshala Morton, Hampton (4x100); Le’Quisha Parker, Hampton (4x100, 400m); Jheniel Kelly, Maryland Eastern Shore (1500m); Shelasia Leitch, Maryland Eastern Shore (100mH); Brittany McCants, Norfolk State (100m); Shantol Hemley, Maryland Eastern Shore (800m); Monica Todd, Howard (400mH); Soibhan Ford-Holland, Hampton (TJ); India Brown, North Carolina A&T State (200m); Barbora Blahutova, Maryland Eastern Shore (3000m SC); Jasmine Smith, Florida A&M (4x400); Destiny Johnson, Florida A&M (4x400); Raven Diggs, Florida A&M (4x400); Jharna Alston (4x400).

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION