Lady Falcons post season’s fastest Division II time in nation at Penn Relays

RALEIGH, N.C. (April 28) – Saint Augustine’s University capped an impressive weekend at the prestigious Penn Relays with two automatic qualifying marks in addition to several high finishes on Saturday.

The women’s 4×400-meter relay team and high jumper Dakarai Hightower (Sr./Tacoma, WA) posted season-best performances in their respective events. The foursome of Ade Hunter (Sr./Philadelphia, PA), Amanda Crawford (So./Brooklyn, NY), Leah Barker (Sr./St. Michaels, Barbados) and Shannon Kalawan (So./Westmoreland, Jamaica) sprinted to an NCAA automatic time of 3:38.20, good enough for sixth place against Division I teams in the Championship of America 4×400 Invitational. The time is the fastest in Division II this season.

Ade Hunter, a senior from Philadelphia, runs in the women’s 4×400 at the Penn Relays. SAU’s squad — Hunter, Amanda Crawford, Leah Barker and Shannon Kalawan — ran the race in 3:38.20, placing sixth against Division I teams and tops in Division II this season.

Hightower leaped near the top of the Division II rankings after recording an NCAA automatic height of 7-1 in the college men’s high jump championship. He tied for second against Division I jumpers and went from 12^th to a No. 2 ranking in Division II.

The women’s 4×400 relay team and Hightower highlighted an outstanding day for the Falcons and Lady Falcons. Justin Williams (Jr./Long Island, NY) placed third in the college men’s triple jump with a season-best provisional mark of 49-9. The women’s quartet of Kalawan, Hunter, Barker and Crawford finished fifth with a time of 1:35.68 in the Championship of America 4×200 Invitational, which was nationally televised by NBCSN. Najair Jackson (Fr./Spanish Town, Jamaica) was sixth in the college men’s javelin throw with an NCAA provisional toss of 216-0.

Saturday’s results came on the heels of Thursday’s and Friday’s accomplishments. Kalawan won the college women’s 400 hurdles championship and Magaly Tshipopo (Sr./France) placed second in the college women’s high jump and third in the college women’s long jump. Both the women’s 4×200 and 4×400 relay teams finished among the top nine in their respective heats to reach the College of America Invitational relays. The marks in all five events were either automatic or provisional.

The Falcons and Lady Falcons will travel to Bowie, Md., next weekend for the CIAA Outdoor Championships. The meet will be held May 5-6 on the Bowie State University campus. The Falcons are going for their 21^st straight men’s title and the Lady Falcons are aiming for their second championship in four seasons.

— Office of Sports Information