TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Samford University track & field teams took part in the John Mitchell Alabama Relays on Saturday, March 19, at the Sam Bailey Track & Field Stadium.
 
After having 14 total events canceled on Friday due to unfavorable weather conditions the Bulldogs made the most of their trip to Tuscaloosa with several impressive finishes throughout the day on Saturday.
 
The women's 4x100 meter relay team of Abbie Cutcliffe, Tonia McKinley, Daijah White and Jaida Cole ran the third fastest time in Samford history and went on to place 12^th overall with a time of 47.72.
 
For the men the 4x400 meter relay squad of Jay Vines, Austin Billings, Andrew Patterson and Shelby Campbell placed 19^th with a time of 3:30.68.
 
Individually Lindsey Kessler and Sarah Lee cracked into the Samford Top-10 record book with their performances in the women's pole vault. Kessler vaulted 3.55m (6^th – Samford All-Time) to place 7^th overall while Lee cleared 3.40m (9^th – Samford All-Time) and finished 16^th.
 
A pair of other Bulldogs turned in Top 10 performances at the Alabama Relays as Courtney Prengaman placed 7^th overall in the women's high jump with a mark of 1.65m while Sarah Sanford ran 14.00 to finish 8^th overall.
 
Josh Salter paced the field with the Bulldogs highest finish of the day as he took 4^th overall in the men's 3,000 meter run with a personal best time of 9:39.45. The time also ranks as the 8^th fastest time in Samford history.
 
The duo of Marquis Barnes and Jay Vines sprinted their way to a couple of top finishes as Barnes took 7^th with a time of 54.63 in the men's 400 meter hurdles while Jay Vines tallied an 11^th place finish with a time of 54.90.
 
Chris Thrasher rounded out the competition with a personal best vault in the men's pole vault with an outdoor personal best mark of 4.75m and placed 11^th overall. The mark also puts Thrasher in the Samford Top-10 record book.
 
 
Other Notable Performances

• Qiona Payton turned in a personal best performance in the 400 meter hurdles with a 15^th place finish time of 1:05.00 and placed 25^th in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 14.93.
• Aerial Horton turned in three Top 20 finishes on the day: shot put (20^th – 11.91m), discus (17^th – 35.67) and hammer throw (11^th – 47.25).
• Victoria Wicks placed 13^th in the women's 400 meter hurdles with a time of 1:03.53
• Andrew Jaeger ran a personal best in the men's 800 meters with a personal best 1:55.57 time and placed 19^th overall.
• Brian Smith placed 11^th in the men's shot put with a 15.14m mark and 16^th in the discus with a throw of 43.58m.
• Joseph Lee placed 17^th overall with a 49.66m throw in the men's Javelin

 
Newcomer Notes
Women's Shot Put
Jayci Floyd – 21^st – 11.84m – 6^th best Samford All-Time
Tatiana Taylor – 22^nd – 11.83m – 7^th best Samford All-Time
 
Women's Discus
Camille Caldwell – 15^th – 42.74m – 4^th best Samford All-Time
Jayci Floyd – 20^th – 34.35m – 6^th best Samford All-Time
 
Women's Hammer Throw
Tatiana Taylor – 12^th – 46.46m – 5^th best Samford All-Time
Camille Caldwell – 21^st – 43.36m – 7^th best Samford All-Time