4×100 Earns Top Seed In NCAA finals, Hart And Castlin Advance In 100

EMPORIA, Kan. — The Tusculum University women’s 4×100-meter relay was the top qualifier in Thursday’s preliminaries at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championship at Emporia State University.

Two members of the 4×100 relay, sophomore Qitarah Castlin and senior Jahzara Hart, also qualified for Saturday’s finals in the 100 meters during Thursday’s opening day of the three-day championship.

Running in the second of two heats, the quartet of Castlin, senior Shanice Cox, sophomore Kori Moore and Hart posted a stadium-record time of 44.15 seconds that was nearly a full second ahead of runner-up Ashland and four-tenths faster than heat one winner Mount Olive. The Pioneers, who were fourth in the 4×100 at last year’s championship, will have the preferred lane assignment for Saturday’s final, which will be held at 4:40 p.m. Eastern.

In the 100 meters, Castlin qualified second with a time of 11.52 seconds in her heat, while Hart won her heat in 11.54 seconds and was third overall in the field. Cox also competed and placed 12th with a time of 11.77 seconds, earning her second-team All-America honors for the second time in her Tusculum career. The 100 finals will be Saturday at 6:05 p.m. Eastern.

On Friday, Hart, Moore and Castlin will compete in the trials of the 200 meters at 6:45 p.m. Eastern, followed by Moore in the 100 hurdles at 7:50 p.m. Eastern.

NCAA Division II Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship
at Emporia, Kansas – Day 1 of 3

Tusculum results
100 prelims: 2. Qitarah Castlin, 11.52 (advances); 3. Jahzara Hart, 11.54 (advances); 12. Shanice Cox, 11.77.
4×100 prelims: 1. Tusculum (Castlin, Cox, Moore, Hart), 44.15 (advances).