DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Fire were blazing over the weekend in Track & Field. Southeastern University shattered four program records and posted eight NAIA national qualifying marks at the Embry-Riddle Invitational.
Record-Breaking Weekend
Multiple SEU student-athletes rewrote the record books, highlighted by three new individual program records and a standout relay performance.
On the women's side, Irmiris Mendez set a new school mark in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.91 seconds—good for an NAIA B Standard and a second-place finish. Teammate Taleah Gifford posted the fastest freshman time in program history at 15.08 to place seventh.
In the 800 meters, both Maci Mills and Jaa'Ln McBride broke the previous SEU record. Mills crossed in 2:11.68 (NAIA A Standard) for third, with McBride close behind at 2:12.58 (NAIA B Standard) in fourth.
James Williamson III led the effort on the men's side, setting a new program record in the 100-meter dash with a blazing 10.24 in prelims—an NAIA A Standard performance.
First-Place Finishers & National Marks
Three Fire men claimed individual victories:
• Dario Laing – 400m hurdles, 52.49 (NAIA A Standard)
• Chase Graziadei – Pole Vault, 4.55m
• Jeremiah Rutledge – High Jump, 2.00m
Davien Worrels added another NAIA A mark in the 200 meters, finishing second in 20.93 seconds.
SEU's men's 4x400-meter relay team—Malik Blunt, Williamson, Laing, and Worrels—clocked 3:12.03 for fourth place and an NAIA A Standard.
In the 400m hurdles, Kevin Davis Jr. joined Laing with a third-place finish at 52.83 seconds (NAIA B Standard), while James Turner (5th, 53.89) and Cedric Johnson, Jr. (7th, 55.35) also contributed points.
For the women, the 4x100-meter relay team of Gifford, Areeyanna Bonds, Alyssa Morley, and Mendez hit a B Standard and placed fourth with a time of 47.95 seconds.
Laing added a fourth-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles (14.63), and Jordan Hierholzer earned runner-up honors in the men's 10,000 meters (33:10.18).
Team Standings
• Men's Team – 3rd place (92 points) out of 28 teams
• Women's Team – 4th place (88 points) out of 29 teams
Embry-Riddle won the men's title (141 points), while Bethune-Cookman (121) was second. On the women's side, North Florida took the top spot (113), followed by Bethune-Cookman (93.5) and Embry-Riddle (93).
Top Women's Field Performance
MarieAnge Moussignac earned a podium finish in the hammer throw, placing third with a toss of 49.17 meters.
Additional Point Scorers
Men
• 3000m Steeplechase: Luke Callery – 8th (10:06.26)
• Decathlon: Jeremiah Stewart – 7th (4751 pts); Zackary Cho-Sam – 9th (4491 pts)
• Hammer Throw: Cory Rand – 9th (41.78m)
• Long Jump: Isaiah Bonds – 6th (6.97m)
• High Jump: Isaiah Burns – 8th (1.90m)
• Discus: Cory Rand – 4th (43.41m), Lucky Baldwin – 6th (42.72m)
Women
• 3000m Steeplechase: Sophie Robinson – 7th (12:20.82)
• Heptathlon: Grace Coggins – 4th (3536 pts)
• Hammer Throw: Emma Terry – 6th (41.55m)
• Long Jump: Alyssa Morley – 5th (5.26m)
• High Jump: Alyssa Morley – T-6th (1.52m)
• Pole Vault: Aubrey Sellers – T-4th (2.90m), Amari Graham – 6th (2.60m)
• Javelin: Emma Terry – 5th (35.98m)
• Discus: Baylie Hartman – 4th (37.45m), Emma Terry – 7th (34.78m), Daekira James – 8th (32.72m)
Up Next: The Fire head to the USF Invitational in Tampa on Friday and Saturday.
