EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Hosting the first Ohio Valley Conference championship event in school history, the SIUE track and field team completed the first day of OVC Outdoor Championships Friday at Korte Stadium.
The Cougars claimed a pair of OVC champions in the men's field events, with junior La'Derrick Ward placing first in the long jump while freshman Julian Harvey took first in the high jump.
Ward, currently ranked first among all NCAA athletes in the men's long jump, took home his first career OVC Outdoor title with a mark of 25-4.5 (7.73m). It was the reigning All-American's second time being named a conference champion this season, after he won the OVC Indoor title in the triple jump earlier this season.
Harvey, a freshman from Edwardsville, earned the right to be called a conference champion in his first season at the collegiate level. He won the men's high jump competition with a leap of 6-9.75 (2.08m).
SIUE also got second-place finishes from Claire Brown on the women's side and Jamil Mashni on the men's side.
Brown placed second in the women's 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 10:41.49. The finish broke Brown's previous school record of 10:43.98 in the event, which she set earlier this season.
Mashni set a new personal best and claimed second place in the men's discus throw with a mark of 167-1 (50.92m) on his final throw of the competition.
The Cougars had a number athletes qualify for Saturday's finals in track events as well.
For the men, Braxton Klavins and Ahmad Evans (200m and 400m) and freshman Derek Drew (400m hurdles) will compete in the finals.
On the women's side, LaDonna Caston and Jatavia Wright qualified for finals in the 100m hurdles, while Caston, Ciara Turner, and Jasmine Johnson will run in the finals of the 400m hurdles.
Addtionally, Jessica Oranika (200m and 400m), Hilary Conrad (400m), and Kirby Hale (800m) qualified for Saturday competition.
The second and final day of the OVC Outdoor Championships is scheduled to begin with field events at 11 a.m. before track events get started at 2 p.m.
