HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Daniel Varnado and Teremine White each recorded NCAA regional qualifying marks in their respective events and the Southeastern Louisiana track and field team earned five first-place finishes as it competed at the Southern Miss Outdoor Invitational on Saturday at the Marshall Bell Track and Field Complex.
The meet, which featured 13 schools, was the season opener for Southeastern.
"It was an outstanding first meet for our team, a great way to get the outdoor season started," Southeastern track and field coach Sean Brady said. "Daniel Varnado ran very well today in his events and Teremine White got off to a good start in the shot put, breaking a school record in the process.
"(Freshman) Jonita Brown got off to a great start in his first collegiate outdoor meet and is really going to spark us as the season progresses, while Katie (Isola), Amy (Fleddermann) and (freshman) Roseann Bell competed well in their events."
Varnado, a senior from Walker, qualified for the NCAA Mideast Regional meet in the 200-meter dash after finishing second overall in 21.05. Varnado added one of the Lions' first-place finishes after recording a 10.51 in the 100-meters.
White, from Donaldsonville, qualified in the discus where he finished first overall with a throw of 173-0. White also added a first-place finish in the shot put, where he recorded a school-record mark of 53-7 to finish more than four feet past his next competitor. Jonny Ellis earned a first-place finish in the pole vault (14-5.50) while Joey Valure finished first overall in the 1,500-meter run (3:59.06).
Southeastern received other second-place performances from James Randall in the triple jump (48-5.25) Dwight Womack in the hammer throw (155-6), Kevin Coates in the 110-meter hurdles (15.07).
On the women's side, the Lady Lions got second-place finishes from Fleddermann in the 100-meter hurdles (14.26) and Isola in both the shot put (41-9.25) and hammer throw (143-8). The women's 4x100-meter relay team finished second overall behind host Southern Miss as it crossed the finish line in 46.46.
Shanna Lilkas finished third overall in the 1,500-meter run (4:52.09) while Bell was third in the long jump (18-11.75) and Kim Carriere also finished third in the hammer throw (137-7).
Brown, a former Salmen High product, placed fourth overall in the 100-meter dash (11.80), Bell was fourth in the 200-meters (24.15), Melissa Jones finished fourth in the high jump (5-5) and Fayola Wilson was fourth in the shot put (40-8.25).