Angelica Floyd holds off challengers at Grand Valley State

On Jan. 23, a day just before a snow storm hit the area, track and field athletes were in action at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich.

Competitors from the host school as well as Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Hope, Miami, Northwood and Western Michigan went forward as student athletes continue to compete in front of zero spectators during the COVID-19 era.

NCAA Division II sprinter Angelica Floyd of Grand Valley State tested her speed against many Division I competitors. In the prelim round Floyd outpaced Eastern Michigan's Alysse Wade's 60-meter time of 7.76, by winning her heat at 7.62. Two other competitors from that heat qualified from the final as Grand Valley State's Ashley Perryman (7.76) and Eastern Michigan's Keypathwa Gibson (7.92) were third and fourth in that race.

In heat two Alyson Davis of Eastern Michigan showed to be a threat to Floyd with a time of 7.63. Grand Valley State's Marcedes Chandler qualified for the final at 7.78 as runner up in the heat. The final heat saw Central Michigan's Reghan Draper roll on to claim her prelim race with a time of 7.75. She placed ahead of fellow qualifiers Kaitlynn Rush (7.79) also of Central Michigan and Miami's Abby Brown (7.87).

Six of the nine competitors in the final round were NCAA Division I sprinters. The others were from Grand Valley State. Floyd won the final at 7.59, edging out Davis' 7.60 finish. Perryman (7.72) was third.

Grand Valley State's Nicole Sreenan took victories in both the 200 and 400 meters races. In the 200-meter dash she won at 24.01, beating out a field of 26 competitors. Northern Illinois' Kimone Hines placed second at 25.02 and Eastern Michigan's Mair Edwards was third at 25.10. Sreenan's 400 meters time was 53.47 which topped a field of 14 sprinters.

Eastern Michigan got a couple of wins in the high jump and 1,600-meter relay. Nina Ward took the high jump at five-feet three and 3/4. The Eagles 1,600-meter relay team of Morgan Iverson, Edwards, Tiffany Cernej-Garcia and Chevonne Wheeler won at 3:52.41.

Central Michigan got a dominant performance in the weight throw from Quiara Wheeler with a mark of 68 feet and 1/4 inch. The closest throw in the field of 18 was Eastern Michigan's Kadian Clarke who tossed it at 63 feet four and 1/4 inches.

Gittens Wins at Aggie Invitational

Tyra Gittens' jump of six-feet-one and 1/2 inch won the high jump at her team's home meet, the Aggie Invitational, Jan. 23. The Texas A&M senior won by a wide margin as the closest competitor finished at five-feet-seven and 1/4 inches.

Gittens' performance at the Aggie Invitational is currently second best in the nation, behind LSU's Abigail O'Donoghue whose jump of six-foot-two 1/4 put her in the top spot on Jan. 22 at the Wooo Pig Classic.

Texas Tech Transfer Nichols Top Long Jump in NCAA

Senior Monae' Nichols who previously jumped at Bethune Cookman, has started off her career at Texas Tech with a bang. Her victory in the long jump at the Texas Tech Red Raider Invitational, Jan. 23, has her in the top spot in the country.

On her third jump of the competition she hit a personal best mark of 22-feet-one and 3/4 inch. After that she passed on her final three attempts but still won the event. Oklahoma's Essence Thomas placed second at 20-feet-five inches which is currently 11th in the nation.

NKU's Shipley Takes 200 Meters at Indiana State Meet

Lynsey Shipley is a 400-meter dash champion in the Horizon League but on Jan. 23, she shined in the 200 meters.

The junior from Northern Kentucky outran 13 sprinters with a time of 25.68. She placed ahead of Indiana State's Reynei Wallace (25.79) and Jocelynn Burton of Marian (25.94).

Shipley also placed third as part of the 1,600-meter relay and fourth in the 60-meter dash. In 2019, as a freshman she pulled an upset in the 400-meter dash at the Horizon League Outdoor meet, defeating reigning champ Chanel Gardner of Oakland.