Saturday, May 12
Northridge, CA
9:00 AM PT
UC Irvine
at
Big West Championships
William-Mensah Shines on Final Day of Big West Championships
May 12, 2018 | Women's Track & Field
Results
Photo Gallery
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Senior Persis William-Mensah earned UC Irvine's second individual title of the weekend to help the Anteaters to a sixth-place finish at the Big West Championships Saturday at Matador Track & Field Complex.
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"I'm very proud of our team effort," head coach Jeff Perkins said. "We work tirelessly on keeping the focus on us and I felt we accomplished some things we have been working on for quite some time. Persis was an example of that in winning her first Big West Championship in the 100m. She has come a long way in her four years here at UCI. We could not be more proud of the legacy she has left behind."
Β
William-Mensah, who had been the runner-up in the 100m in each of the last two years, found a way to get it done at her final conference meet, clocking in at 11.57 for the title. She got out to the front of the pack along with Long Beach State's Courtne' Davis before finding another gear over the last 10 meters. William-Mensah is the third 'Eater in program history to be crowned the women's 100m Big West champion, and first since Toby Dean in 1996.
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Junior Hope Bushnell (11.99) and freshman Mikayla Scott (12.16) added team points in the 100m as they placed seventh and eighth, respectively.
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William-Mensah also led a trio of Anteaters in the 200m final with a second-place showing. She came in just two-hundredths of a second behind Davis and broke the school record for the fourth time this year at 23.75. Bushnell crossed the finish line in third (24.11), while Scott took seventh at 24.65.
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Senior Tyra Jones contributedΒ a runner-up finish in the 100m hurdles with a season-best 13.72. Junior Mychal Robinson tacked on four points with a fifth-place performance (14.31).
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Jones also ran a personal-record 61.14 to come in fifth in the 400m hurdles, while junior Julia Sambvani wasn't far behind in sixth (61.43).
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Senior Simone Buchanan was fifth in the 400m (55.58).
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Sambvani, Buchanan, Jones and Scott closed out the meet with a season-best 3:45.88 in the 4x400 relay (4th).
Β
Junior Barbara Coward continued to lead the way for UC Irvine's throwers. One day after claiming the discus title, Coward took second in the hammer with a toss of 183-06. She was only 10 inches shy of Haleigh Sudbeck's (Hawai'i) leadingΒ mark. Senior Alison Meegan scored as well, placing fourth overall (172-07).
Β
"Barbara is also one we rely on who has now developed in more than just the discus, having finished second in the hammer," Perkins added. "We are so proud of her accomplishments and her future with the program."
Β
Junior Elizabeth Akindele made her way onto the podium with a third-place finish in the shot put. She was consistent throughout the trials and final, despite delays during the competition. Akindele saved her best throw for last where she hit a personal-record 47-01. SheΒ ranks fourth in school history.
Β
UC Irvine was sixth in the team standings with 90 points, which marked its highest total in 16 years. Long Beach State (122) barely edged out UC Santa Barbara (120), claiming the title by two points.
Β
The Anteaters earned seven all-conference honors with their top-three performances: Barbara Coward (Discus & Hammer), Persis William-Mensah (100m & 200m), Tyra Jones (100H), Elizabeth Akindele (Shot Put) and Hope Bushnell (200m).
Big West Championships
Women's Team Standings
1. Long Beach State (122)
2. UC Santa Barbara (120)
3. CSUN (101)
4. Cal State Fullerton (98)
5. Cal Poly (95)
6. UC Irvine (90)
7. UC Riverside (75)
8. UC Davis (73)
9. Hawai'i (44)
Β
Photo Gallery
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Senior Persis William-Mensah earned UC Irvine's second individual title of the weekend to help the Anteaters to a sixth-place finish at the Big West Championships Saturday at Matador Track & Field Complex.
Β
"I'm very proud of our team effort," head coach Jeff Perkins said. "We work tirelessly on keeping the focus on us and I felt we accomplished some things we have been working on for quite some time. Persis was an example of that in winning her first Big West Championship in the 100m. She has come a long way in her four years here at UCI. We could not be more proud of the legacy she has left behind."
Β
William-Mensah, who had been the runner-up in the 100m in each of the last two years, found a way to get it done at her final conference meet, clocking in at 11.57 for the title. She got out to the front of the pack along with Long Beach State's Courtne' Davis before finding another gear over the last 10 meters. William-Mensah is the third 'Eater in program history to be crowned the women's 100m Big West champion, and first since Toby Dean in 1996.
Β
Junior Hope Bushnell (11.99) and freshman Mikayla Scott (12.16) added team points in the 100m as they placed seventh and eighth, respectively.
Β
William-Mensah also led a trio of Anteaters in the 200m final with a second-place showing. She came in just two-hundredths of a second behind Davis and broke the school record for the fourth time this year at 23.75. Bushnell crossed the finish line in third (24.11), while Scott took seventh at 24.65.
Β
Senior Tyra Jones contributedΒ a runner-up finish in the 100m hurdles with a season-best 13.72. Junior Mychal Robinson tacked on four points with a fifth-place performance (14.31).
Β
Jones also ran a personal-record 61.14 to come in fifth in the 400m hurdles, while junior Julia Sambvani wasn't far behind in sixth (61.43).
Β
Senior Simone Buchanan was fifth in the 400m (55.58).
Β
Sambvani, Buchanan, Jones and Scott closed out the meet with a season-best 3:45.88 in the 4x400 relay (4th).
Β
Junior Barbara Coward continued to lead the way for UC Irvine's throwers. One day after claiming the discus title, Coward took second in the hammer with a toss of 183-06. She was only 10 inches shy of Haleigh Sudbeck's (Hawai'i) leadingΒ mark. Senior Alison Meegan scored as well, placing fourth overall (172-07).
Β
"Barbara is also one we rely on who has now developed in more than just the discus, having finished second in the hammer," Perkins added. "We are so proud of her accomplishments and her future with the program."
Β
Junior Elizabeth Akindele made her way onto the podium with a third-place finish in the shot put. She was consistent throughout the trials and final, despite delays during the competition. Akindele saved her best throw for last where she hit a personal-record 47-01. SheΒ ranks fourth in school history.
Β
UC Irvine was sixth in the team standings with 90 points, which marked its highest total in 16 years. Long Beach State (122) barely edged out UC Santa Barbara (120), claiming the title by two points.
Β
The Anteaters earned seven all-conference honors with their top-three performances: Barbara Coward (Discus & Hammer), Persis William-Mensah (100m & 200m), Tyra Jones (100H), Elizabeth Akindele (Shot Put) and Hope Bushnell (200m).
Big West Championships
Women's Team Standings
1. Long Beach State (122)
2. UC Santa Barbara (120)
3. CSUN (101)
4. Cal State Fullerton (98)
5. Cal Poly (95)
6. UC Irvine (90)
7. UC Riverside (75)
8. UC Davis (73)
9. Hawai'i (44)
Β
Players Mentioned
Throws
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Sprints
/ Women's Indoor Track
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/ Women's Indoor Track
Hurdles
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles/Sprints
/ Women's Indoor Track
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
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