18 Track and Field Student-Athletes Earn All-South Region Honors

The Nova Southeastern University men’s and women’s track and field teams set a new program-record with 18 student-athletes earning USTFCCCA All-South Region honors, the most in program history.

The USTFCCCA honored all student-athletes who finished within the top five in a particular event among regional competitors. NSU had 10 women honored and eight men, many of which were honored in multiple events.

The women’s class was led by members of the 4x400m relay team, which finished in the South Region’s top five. The team of Quannisha Allen (Jr., St. Augustine, Fla.), Shakira Bartley (So. West Palm Beach, Fla.), Ciona Williams (Jr. Stockton, Calif.) and Shannon Rolle (So. Miami, Fla.) hit a season-best time of 3:49.92 early in the year at the USF Invitational. Three of the four members of the relay team also earned regional honors in their individual events.

Bartley earned the distinction in the 400m hurdles, clocking in at 1:01.87. That time, set at the Peach Belt Conference Championship, also earned her a conference championship. Rolle was honored for her performance in the 400m dash, clocking in at 55.42 and ranking in the national top-30. Finally, Williams earned recognition in the 100m dash with a time of 11.65 at the last meet of the season. Ranking 12th in the nation, she is expected to be invited to the NCAA National Championship.

Aimee Sims (Sr., St. Anne, Ill.) was the final female Shark to earn All-South Region honors in multiple events. She was honored in the 800m run with a time of 2:15.44 and the 1,500m run with a time of 4:40.42. Both times were career-bests set at the PBC Championship, earning her two spots on the podium. Two other distance runners earned regional honors in Rose Howell (Sr. St. Louis, Mo.) and Rachel Zachar (Sr., North Hudson, Wisc.). Howell was honored for her work in the 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 11:28.21 and Zachar was honored in the 10K with a time of 38:38.06. Both seniors set their best marks at the PBC Championship and also made the podium.

Two female field athletes at NSU were honored in Sydney Molina (So., Miami, Fla.) and Vanessa Munley (Sr.  Moosic, Pa.). Molina had a breakout season in the discus throw, reaching 40.02m in a second-place showing at the PBC Championship. Munley ended her career, reaching a 3.50m mark in the pole vault back at the UCF Invitational, a career-best.

Last but not least, Sherrelle Jordan (So., Chandler, Ariz.) earned honors in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.75 at UNF. Jordan, who ranks eighth in the nation, has a legitimate chance to earn All-American honors and possibly win a NCAA National Championship.

The men’s All-South Region list begins with the 4x100m relay team that is on the bubble for a spot at the NCAA National Championship. That group, represented by A.J. Franklin (Jr., Pensacola, Fla.), Talyn Washington (Sr., Royal Palm Beach, Fla.), Rohan Mullings (So., Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and Davontae Carson (Sr. Seattle, Wash.), has reached a time of 40.62 at the Miramar Multicultural Games and ranks 14th in the nation.

Once again, three of the four have also earned individual regional distinction. Carson and Washington are the only runners for NSU with All-South Region honors in three different events. Washington earns his recognition in the 200m and 400m dashes. In the 200m, Washington earned an early-season time of 20.98 and has ranked in the national top-15 with that time since March 12. His best mark has come in the 400m, where he ranks seventh with a time of 46.81, set at UCF on April 30. He is looking to compete at Nationals in all three events. Carson was honored for his work in the 100m and 200m dashes. At the PBC Championship, Carson hit season-bests with times of 10.67 and 21.52, respectively, and earned two individual medals. Wrapping up the 4x100m team, Mullings took home honors in the 110m hurdles with a time of 14.42 at UCF. He finishes his season in the national top-40 in his first year as a Shark.

Wade White (So., Bangor, Pa.) and Benjamin Manuel (So., Willemstad, Curacao) represented the male distance-running Sharks on the regional list. White was honored for his performance in both the 1,500m run and the steeplechase with times of 3:53.11 and 9:06.98, respectively. White shined when the lights were brightest, earning personal bests at both the PBC Championship and the Florida Relays. NSU had two of the top-5 1,500m runners in the region, with Manuel clocking in at 3:56.20 at the PBC Championship.

NSU had two male field student-athletes honored in Darren Hendricks (Jr., North Port, Fla.) and Ryan Jerothe (Sr., New Port Richey, Fla.). Hendricks took gold at the PBC Championship, but set his personal-best mark in the discus at the Multicultural Games at 46.68m. Finally, Jerothe dominated the region in the pole vault with a mark of 4.95m set multiple times. He is expected to attend the NCAA National Championship and vault for All-America status for a second time