April 19, 2003

OXFORD, Miss. --- The UAB track and field team had a strong finish at the Mississippi Invitational here Saturday. The Blazers set one school record and turned in a pair of lifetime bests, in addition to 14 season-best performances.

The relay team of Adrienne Duke, Normanie McKenzie, Doella Miller and Elace Minnifield finished the 4X400 meter relay in second place with a school record of 3:46.42.

Donna Pucke finished the 800-meter run in second place, with a time of 2:14.12, second-fastest in school history. Pucke already holds the school record for the 800-meter run for indoor with her performance at the Conference USA championships on Feb. 28, with a time of 2:15.07. Senior Doella Miller finished the 400-meter dash in second place, with a time of 56.46, a personal-best and sixth-fastest in UAB history.

"I am really pleased with all the girls' performances," said head coach Ray Stanfield. "We had some standout performances from Donna Pucke and Doella Miller. Pucke holds the indoor record for the 800-meter run and is now in second for the university record for outdoor. She is on her way to holding that record as well."

Duke also finished the women's high jump with a leap of 5-5, a season-best and third-longest in UAB history. Sophomore Judy Shepherd completed the meet with three season bests. Shepherd finished the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:06.37 and in second place. She also finished the women's 100-meter hurdles in fifth place with a time of 14.88. In the women's long jump, Shepherd placed fifth with a leap of 17-0 ¾, a career best.

Laura Strunk ended the women's javelin competition in third place with a throw of 108-5, a season best and fourth-longest in school history. She also finished the women's discus in sixth place with a toss of 89-1, another season best. In the shot put competition, Strunk finished with a throw of 32-3 ¾, her third season best.

Christy Mixon finished fifth in the women's discus throw with a toss of 107-11, a season best and third-longest in UAB history. In the women's javelin, Mixon placed fifth with a throw of 102-9, a season best and fifth-longest in school history. She also finished the shot put competition with a season best toss of 28-11 ¼.

Freshman Olivia Ross-Hurst finished competition today with three season bests. Ross-Hurst completed the 100-meter hurdles in sixth place, with a time of 16.87. She also finished the women's high jump in seventh place, with a leap of 5-1. In the long jump, Ross-Hurst finished sixth (17-0).

Blazer Crystal Hunter finished the women's long jump with a season best leap of 16-8 and in seventh place overall. Senior Amanda Kara finished the 1500-meter run in fourth place, with a time of 4:54.82. Teammate Normanie McKenzie finished the 400-meter dash with a time of 57.30 and in fourth place. In the 400-meter hurdles Anna Parker finished in third place (1:12.47), followed by teammate Jan Parker in fourth (1:14.88).

The Blazer relay team of Hunter, McKenzie, Miller and Minnifield finished the 4X100 meter relay with a third place finish (47.48).

"We are running the way we need to be," said Stanfield. "As the season goes on, you are supposed to run faster and that's what we are doing. We are running the way we need to be, heading into the Drake Relays and with conference right around the corner."

Next up for the Blazers is the Drake Relays hosted by Drake University on April 24-26, in Des Moines, Iowa.