The FAMU women’s 4x100-meter relay team is headed to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., after delivering a season-best performance at the NCAA East Preliminary meet this weekend.
The quartet of Janaree Kinchen, Diandranique Gaines, Kiersten Clark and anchor Arayana Ladson blazed to a time of 43.31 seconds, securing their place in the national semifinals at Hayward Field.
“We trusted our handoffs, trusted our training, and just went out and executed,” said Ladson, a sophomore. “Getting to Oregon has been our goal since day one.”
They will be joined in Eugene by FAMU hurdler Leonard Mustari, who punched his ticket in the men’s 110-meter hurdles by clocking 13.53 seconds in his qualifying heat. Mustari’s time ranked among the top performances of the preliminary round.
“It’s a dream to compete on that stage,” Mustari said. “Now the work continues to get ready.”
The NCAA Championships begin June 9 in Eugene, where the Rattlers will compete against the nation’s top collegiate athletes.