Pitt Track & Field Sets Multiple Program Records at Pepsi Florida Relays

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers Track and Field team headed to Gainesville, Florida to the campus of the University of Florida this weekend, competing in the Pepsi Florida Relays.

Pitt sent 13 men's track and field athletes and 13 women's track and field athletes headed down to a packed field that featured athletes from 46 different universities.

The first day of the event on March 3 featured two of Pitt's premier women's track and field athletes participating in the high jump, with seniors Eva Baldursdottir and Alesia Rengle participating in the high jump invite competition. Baldursdottir finished in sixth place with a mark of 1.76 meters, while Rengle received ninth place with a 1.73 meter jump.

Pitt women's 4x100 meter set a season best time with 45.12, but did not advance out of the preliminary rounds with the necessary time to do so being a 44.52 by Harvard. On the men's side, Pitt was able to advance out of the 4x100 meter preliminary runs with a time of 40.09, but earned a disqualification ahead of the final run.

The women's 4x400 meter relay featured another season best, finishing in eighth with a time of 3:38.19, just behind Akron who had a time of 3:37.05 in seventh place. Two Panthers participated in the women's 400 meter hurdles, with sophomore Alexandria Scott and senior Jana Bruses finishing No. 14 and No. 20 respectively.

A Triumphant Second Day

The second and final day went more successfully for the Panthers.

Two personal bests were set in the 100 meter run, with former Pitt Football player Che Nwabuko setting a personal best time of 10.48 and No. 24 for the event. and junior Somiyah Braggs reaching 11.45 and finishing No. 14 in her race. Darren McQueen finished No. 16 in the men's 100 meters, hitting a time of 10.39 seconds.

Pitt athletes also participated in the triple jump, where senior Uri Arnon finished seventh, reaching 14.85 meters on his jump.

Pitt had two event winners, both of which coming in the shotput. Sophomore Emeka Ugwu took home the men's shotput event, with a mark of 18.43 meters coming on his final attempt of the event. On the women's side, Niya Crawford took home her third straight victory in outdoor events in shotput, with a mark of 16.49 continuing her dominant spring.

Pitt's next events will also be outdoors, with Pitt traveling to Bucknell for the Bison Outdoor Relays this coming weekend.

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