Armory Collegiate Invitational Results Page
ABILENE – A dozen Abilene Christian Wildcats will be competing against the nation's best track and field athletes this weekend when they head to New York City for the 12th-annual
Armory Collegiate Invitational. Events begin Friday at 9:30 a.m. and conclude Saturday evening with the men's 4x400-meter relay championship.
Representing the Purple and White on the men's side are freshman sprinter Johnathan Farquharson (60m championship, 200m college), senior Jordan Geary (200m championship, 400m college), junior Darian Hogg (college long jump), senior Banjo Jaiyesimi (800m college) and freshman Xavier King (5K college).
The ACU women's team will be comprised of Elea Diarra (400m championship), Amanda Ouedraogo (triple jump), Ayesha Rumble (800m college), Shennae Steele (60m championship, 200m college), Chloe Susset (1000m championship, 3000m college), Reyare Thomas (60m championship, 200m championship) and Lexus Williams (60m college, 200m college, 60 hurdles championship).
The Wildcat women also have a team entered into the fourth heat of the college-level 4x400m relay, pitted against N.C. Central, Cincinnati, Vanderbilt, Maryland-Eastern Shore and Houston.
Ouedraogo finished first in her heat and third overall at last year's Armory Invitational, recording with a lifetime best in the indoor triple jump of 42-feet, 4.75 inches (12.92 meters). Steele finished fourth last season in the college 200m with a time of 27.79 seconds, while Rumble placed 18th the 800m (2:16.04) and Susset 19th in the mile championship (4:57.17).
All of the men are making their Armory debuts as collegians with the exception of Geary and Jaiyesimi. Geary recorded a 400m time of 49.57 last February, while Jaiyesimi posted an 800m mark of 1:56.39.
The Wildcats begin their week with
18 NCAA D-II provisional marks and automatics from Diarra in the 400m and Ouedraogo in the triple jump. Diarra – a 2012 London Olympian with France – climbed all the way to No. 2 in the nation and sixth all-time at ACU after winning the 400m title at the New Mexico Invitational with a season-best time of 55.05 (converted from 54.94 for altitude) seconds.
Ouedraogo recorded her second NCAA automatic qualifying triple jump in as many weeks at New Mexico, producing a season-best effort of 41 feet-6.5 inches (12.66 meters). However, she still remains second to Angelo State's Kearah Danville (41-11.25) in the D-II rankings.
Both Diarra and Ouedraogo were honored for these performances Tuesday by the Lone Star Conference, which selected them as its female track and field athletes of the week. Senior Wildcat Baptiste Kerjean was named Men's Field Athlete of the Week for recording a personal best in the weight throw of 58-07.25 (17.86m) to place fifth overall at the Air Force Invitational. His effort is the fourth best in ACU history behind Glenn Griffin (65-0), Cliff Felkins (63-4) and Tyler Fleet (60-5.75).
Sprinters Farquharson, Geary, Susset and Thomas are ranked among the top 10 in their respective events. Farquharson ranks seventh in the 60m (6.80) and 10th in the 200m (21.60) with Geary right behind him in 11th (21.73).
Thomas – a former junior college all-America at Iowa Central – is fifth in the 200m (24.23) and eighth in the 60m (7.60). Susset is the nation's third-ranked miler (4:53.75).
Wildcats not going to New York City this weekend have the option of competing once again at Texas Tech for Saturday's Red Raider Open. ACU has sent athletes to compete in Lubbock three of the last four weeks.
