TAMPA, Fla. – Jeff Hammond won the long jump in record-fashion while six other Eagles medaled as Coppin State men's track & field team had an impressive showing at the South Florida Invitational on Friday at USF Track & Field Stadium.
A senior from Kumasi, Ghana, Hammond leaped 25' 2" in his fourth attempt to win the long jump, breaking his own school-record. Hammond had previously jumped a wind-legal 24' 8.25" at the 2022 Morgan State Legacy. At last season's Weems Baskin Invitational in South Carolina, Hammond traveled 25' 7.25" in a wind-aided attempt. His mark is tops in the MEAC this season and 24
th nationally.
To open events on the track, the 4x100m Relay of
Carl Drakes,
Solomon Hammond,
Rashaun Stewart and
Cole Schlotterbeck clocked a season-best time of 40.18 to take second overall, and tops amongst collegiate teams at the meet, and the MEAC this season.
Solomon Hammond clocked a 10.31 in the 100m dash to take second overall, and first among collegiate runners, while Drakes finished just behind in 10.33 to take third overall. These times now rank first and third in the MEAC this seaon. Drakes also finished second in the 200m (20.63) which is tops in the MEAC, with Hammond taking ninth in 21.17, the third-fastest mark in the conference.
In the 400m dash,
Daniel Cunningham led a trio of Eagles, taking third in 47.87, ahead of Stewart (48.34) and
Myles Small (48.58) who placed sixth and tenth, respectively.
Amadou Ba was the runner-up in the 800m Run in 1:51.12, with
Randy Serville (1:56.13) and
Jayeed Norbal (2:00.25) finishing just behind in the event. Ba now sits second in the MEAC in the event with Serville ranking fourth.
Ivan Wiggins-Ingram took fourth in the 400m hurdles in 54.27 while
James Bell matched his finish by clearing 6' 7.5" in the high jump.
Anthony Harris set a personal record in a pair of events, finishing sixth in the 110m hurdles (14.54) and eighth in the 400m hurdles (56.87).
Amiri Goode also doubled up in the hurdle events, finishing in 15.64 and 57.53, respectively.
Elsewhere on the track, Schlotterbeck competed in the 100m dash (11.09) and 200m dash (22.43) while
Bryce Pepukayi finished the 200m dash in 22.09.
Coppin returns to the track for the NSU Spartans Invitational on April 14-15.
