Sophomore LeShon Collins had a stellar performance that led to several broken records to kick off the 2014 indoor season during UH’s opener on Saturday.
Collins competed in the men’s 60-meter dash open against other top competitors. The sophomore won the event with a time of 6.6 seconds. His time crushed the meet record, the school record and his personal record of 6.67 set last year.
Senior pole vaulter Karley King broke the meet record for the second time this season with a 4.00m vault to win the competition.
Junior jumper John Horton jumped a 23’-9.50” in the men’s long jump to place first in the competition and set a collegiate personal record.
Three freshmen also led the Cougars with top marks in their respective events. Cameron Burrell took first in the men’s 60m with a collegiate best time of 6.67. In her first meet as a Cougar, freshman sprinter Bria Carter captured the gold in the women’s 60m with a time of 7.60. Freshman sprinter Tori Williams also won the 200-meter dash, crossing the finish line at 24.86 seconds.
Other top performers on the men’s team were freshman hurdler William Gibbs and sophomore Issac Williams. The two placed in the top three in the men’s 60m hurdles, beating the meet record. Gibbs placed second and set a personal record with a 7.94, and Williams finished right behind with 7.95 in third.
Junior Justine Price threw another personal best in the women’s weight throw, with a mark of 17.63m.
Junior hurdler Sade Mariah Greenidge placed second in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.60 in the finals. Junior Dominique Brisco followed in third at 8.61 in the finals.
Cougars receive national recognition
The UH track and field program continues to receive national attention, as three Cougars were included in the preseason rankings released by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association on Monday afternoon.
Sophomore Leshon Collins ranks third in the USTFCCCA Division I Preseason Rankings after recording a 6.60 in the men’s 60-meter dash open Saturday evening during the Indoor Opener. His time crushed the meet record and the school record set in 2004 by Stanford Routt. He also broke his own personal record of 6.67 from last season.
Collins continues to hold the collegiate national top mark, according to the Track and Field Results Reporting System.
Also in the ranks is freshman Cameron Burrell, coming in at No. 13 in the men’s 60m. He recorded a collegiate best of 6.67 to win the event during the first home meet last weekend.
The duo’s scores placed the men’s team 43rd in the nation among other top programs.
Senior pole vaulter Karley King finished on top with a meet record and a career high of 4.15. King’s mark was the best in the nation by two inches, and two inches away from the school record.