DAY ONE RESULTS

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Personal bests from freshmen Baileh Simms, Whitney Diggs, Genna Settle and CeCelia Jackson highlighted a big first day for the Portland State track and field teams at the prestigious Armory Collegiate Invitational Friday at the New Balance Track and Field Center.
 
"We had a day like you wouldn't believe," PSU head coach Ronnye Harrison said. "Our freshmen women performed unbelievably."
 
Simms uncorked a monster jump of 19-07.50 (5.98m) in the college division of the long jump Friday, setting a new personal best by nearly nine inches. Simms' jump vaulted her up to No. 3 in the long jump at Portland State, and would have ranked her atop the Big Sky and in the top 50 nationally in the event entering the weekend.
 
Simms also set a new PR in the 60 meters, finishing ninth in the prelims of the college division in 7.74 seconds.
 
Diggs, meanwhile, continued to lower her Big Sky-leading time in the 400 meters, as she finished the prelims of the championship 400 in 55.29 seconds. Diggs' time moved her within one-hundredth of a second of the PSU record in the event (set at 55.28 seconds by Dominique Maloney in 2013), and would have led the Big Sky by .70 seconds entering the weekend. Diggs has also now lowered her time in the 400 every time she's competed in the event this season. Diggs did not qualify for the semifinals of the championship 400, however, despite winning her heat by .16 seconds over Morgan State's Ekundayo Sogbesan, who finished in 55.45 seconds.
 
Additionally, Settle set big personal bests in the college division of the 60 meters and 200 meters Friday. Settle ran a seasonal best for a PSU runner in the 200 meters, finishing second in the finals of the college division in 24.63 seconds. Settle's time beat her old personal best (25.21 seconds at the Cherry & Silver Invitational) by over half a second, and qualified her for the Big Sky meet in the event.
 
Settle also lowered her qualifying time in the 60 meters Friday, as she finished fourth in the college division in 7.64 seconds. Settle now ranks tied for sixth and eighth all-time at PSU in the indoor 200 and 60 meters, respectively, and would have ranked in the top five of the Big Sky in each event entering the weekend.
 
Fellow freshman CeCelia Jackson set a big personal best in the college division finals of the 60-meter hurdles as well, as she placed second in 8.61 seconds. The time lowered Jackson's personal best in the event by .04 seconds, and would have put her fourth in the Big Sky in the event entering the weekend.
 
Among the Vikings' veterans, sophomore Sheldon Prince became just the second PSU runner ever to finish the indoor 200 in under 22 seconds, as he finished in 21.92 seconds to place third in the prelims of the college division 200 meters. Prince's time vaults him to No. 2 all-time in the 200 at Portland State, and would have ranked him fourth in the Big Sky entering the weekend. Prince's time also qualified him for the Big Sky meet in the 200, giving him conference-qualifying times in the 200 and 400 meters. Prince placed second in the finals of the college division 200 as well, finishing in 22.04 seconds.
 
Junior Jazmin Ratcliff, meanwhile, set a new personal best in the 60-meter hurdles, as she won the fourth heat of the championship division prelims in 8.49 seconds. Ratcliff's time moved her to No. 2 all-time in the event at Portland State, and just three hundredths of a second behind Joenisha Vinson's school record of 8.46 seconds. Ratcliff's time also qualified her for the semifinals of the championship 60-meter hurdles, where she placed 16th in 8.59 seconds.
 
Ratcliff also tied a personal best in the 60 meters for the second straight week, finishing in 7.64 seconds to place third in the seventh heat of the championship division prelims. Ratcliff did not qualify past the semifinals in the 60 meters, however, as she placed ninth in the second heat of the semifinals in 7.72 seconds.

Overall, the Vikings set or lowered seven Big Sky qualifying marks Friday, five of which came from the group of Simms, Diggs, Settle and Jackson.
 
Additionally, junior Dejuanae Toliver set a new personal best in the 200 meters Friday, finishing in 25.23 seconds.

The Vikings continue competition at the Armory Collegiate Invitational tomorrow, Feb. 8, as junior Montaisha Moore and freshman Gifton Okoronkwo compete in the women's and men's triple jump, respectively.
 
PSU BIG SKY QUALIFIERS (through Friday, Feb. 7):
Men
T-Roy Brown – 3,000m – 8:21.04 – UW Indoor Preview (1/18/14)
Gifton Okoronkwo – Triple Jump – 47-08.50 (14.54m) – Cherry & Silver Invitational (1/25/14)
Sheldon Prince – 200m – 21.92 – Armory Collegiate Invitational (2/7/14)
Sheldon Prince – 400m – 48.64 – UW Invitational (2/1/14)
Rockwell Tufty – High Jump – 6-06.75 (2.00m) – Cherry & Silver Invitational (1/24/14)
Women
Sarah Dean – Mile – 4:51.32 – UW Invitational (2/1/14)
Sarah Dean – 3,000m – 9:38.50 – UW Indoor Preview (1/18/14)
Whitney Diggs – 200m – 24.71 – Cherry & Silver Invitational (1/24/14)
Whitney Diggs – 400m – 55.29 – Armory Collegiate Invitational (2/7/14)
CeCelia Jackson – 60m Hurdles – 8.61 – Armory Collegiate Invitational (2/7/14)
CeCelia Jackson – High Jump – 5-05 (1.65m) – UW Indoor Preview (1/18/14)
CeCelia Jackson – Pentathlon – 3,547 points – UW Invitational (1/31/14)
Camelia Mayfield – 3,000m – 9:52.86 – UW Indoor Preview (1/18/14)
Camelia Mayfield – 5,000m – 17:02.49 – UW Invitational (1/31/14)
Montaisha Moore – Triple Jump – 38-00.75 (11.60m) – UW Indoor Preview (1/18/14)
Jazmin Ratcliff – 60m – 7.64 – UW Invitational (2/1/14)
Jazmin Ratcliff – 200m – 24.97 – Cherry & Silver Invitational (1/24/14)
Jazmin Ratcliff – 60m Hurdles – 8.49 – Armory Collegiate Invitational (2/7/14)
Genna Settle – 60m – 7.64 – Armory Collegiate Invitational (2/7/14)
Genna Settle – 200m – 24.63 – Armory Collegiate Invitational (2/7/14)
Baileh Simms – Long Jump – 19-07.50 (5.98m) – Armory Collegiate Invitational (2/7/14)
 
Armory Collegiate Invitational
New Balance Track and Field Center
New York, N.Y.
Feb. 7, 2014
 
Men's Results:
60m (college division prelims): 15. Sheldon Prince, 7.11. 200m (college division prelims): 3. Sheldon Prince, 21.92. 200m (college division finals): 2. Sheldon Prince, 22.04. 400m (college division prelims): 20. Sheldon Prince, 49.39. Long Jump: 53. Gifton Okoronkwo, 20-03.00 (6.17m).
 
Women's Results:
60m (college division prelims): 8. Genna Settle, 7.73; 9. Baileh Simms, 7.74; 29. CeCelia Jackson, 7.90. 60m (college division finals): 4. Genna Settle, 7.64; 9. Baileh Simms, 7.83. 200m (college division prelims): 2. Genna Settle, 24.63; 11. Dejuanae Toliver, 25.23; 50. Adia White, 26.37. 200m (college division finals): 2. Genna Settle, 24.63. 400m (championship division prelims): 16. Whitney Diggs, 55.29. 400m (college division prelims): 56. Dejuanae Toliver, 58.92. 60m Hurdles (championship division prelims): 7. Jazmin Ratcliff, 8.49. 60m Hurdles (championship division semis): 16. Jazmin Ratcliff, 8.59. 60m Hurdles (college division prelims): 2. CeCelia Jackson, 8.72. 60m Hurdles (college division finals): 2. CeCelia Jackson, 8.61. Long Jump: 2. Baileh Simms, 19-07.50 (5.98m); 42. Montaisha Moore, 17-02.75 (5.25m).