GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The George Mason track and field team
had a strong showing at the Pepsi Florida Relays on the campus of the
University of Florida over the weekend, recording 11 IC4A and three ECAC
qualifying times at the meet.
For the men, 10 individuals and one relay posted IC4A
championship times. Both Rachaunn Ruffin and Travaughn Baker-Johnson posted
qualifying marks in the 100m dash. Ruffin finished in a season-best time of
10.36, which is also the fifth-best time in school history, while Baker-Johnson
crossed the line in 10.70.
A trio of athletes qualified in the 400m, including David
Verburg (46.24), Nick Vaughn (47.75) and Ja-Vell Bullard (48.23). The final individual
track qualifier was George Empty in the 400m hurdles, crossing the line in a
season-best time of 52.98.
The 4x400 relay of Nick Vaughn, Verburg, Empty and Bullard
also posted an IC4A qualifying time, finishing seventh in the event in a time
of 3:07.50.
Also competing at the meet were two 4x200 relay squads. The 'A' squad of Ruffin, Verburg, Baker-Johnson and Nick Vaughn finished in a time of 1:23.44, good for fifth place and the fourth-best time in program history.
In the field events, Dwight Webley and Lavell Handy both
qualified in the long jump and triple jump. Webley competed in the open long
jump competition finishing fourth with a distance of 7.23m, while Handy
competed in the invite heat, placing third with a distance of 7.45m. Both
athletes tied for eighth place in the triple jump with an IC4A qualifying
distance of 15.20m.
On the women's side, Cierra McGee continued her impressive
showing during the outdoor season with an ECAC qualifying time of 54.64 in the
400m dash.
Also qualifying for the women was two relays. The team of
Crystalyne Clark, McGee, Katea Jemmott and Aneesha Scott finished the 4x100m
relay in a time of 45.95, while the 4x400 relay of McGee, Daianna Barron, Jasmine Robinson and Dominique Graham crossed the finish line with a time of 3:41.41.
The Patriots return to action next Saturday, hosting the
Mason Spring Invite.
