The Tribune

In pulling down the curtain on what has been one of the most decorated collegiate performances at Minnesota State, Denisha Cartwright wrapped up her final appearance for the Mavericks on Saturday at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships with some stellar accolades.

At the Francis G Welsh Stadium in Emporia, Kansas State, Cartwright was crowned a double champion and a runner up in three of the four events she competed in to lead a host of Bahamians competing throughout the United States, including her new rival on the horizon on the professional ranks, in national record holder Devynne Charlton.

NCAA Division II

Championships

Cartwright completed her Hall-of-Fame career as a recent graduate of Minnesota State as she won both the 100 metre hurdles and the 200m and was second in the 100m.

She helped the Mavericks to eighth place in the women’s 4 x 100m relay to leave her résumé with 16 career outdoor All-American trophies and five career National titles.

After the Mavericks had their share of difficulties on the first exchange of the relay that saw them finish a disappointing eighth, Cartwright came back and captured her third straight 100m title in a wind-aided time of 12.37 seconds.

It could have been a new national record, replacing the mark of 12.44 held by Charlton, but it was well above the allowable 2-0 miles per second reading. But it was also the second fastest time in all NCAA levels behind Kentucky’s Masai Russell’s collegiate record of 12.35.

Cartwright, who has also joined Charlton and Charisma Taylor in qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France this summer, had the fastest qualifying time of 13.01.

With little rest in between, Cartwright came back in the 100m and dropped her lifetime best time of 11.14 for her second and her fourth straight first team All-America post. Alexis Brown, a sophomore at Lenoir-Rhyne, won the race in a blistering 10.96. Cartwright posted the second fastest qualifying time of 11.26, which was her previous personal best as she trailed Brown with a leading time of 11.24.

In avenging her loss, Cartwright accelerated quickly out of the blocks like she did in the 100m hurdles and was no match for her rival coming off the curve as she coasted to victory in the 200m in another lifetime achievement of 22.91.

She left her mark on another major accomplishment as she erased Lorraine Graham of Lincoln’s facility record of 23.06 she established in 1997. Sariyah Copeland, a junior at Fresno State, was second in 22.97 and Brown had to settle for third in 22.98.

While Cartwirght was ending her collegiate season and career on a high note, a few Bahamian athletes were attempting to book their tickets to the NCAA Division One Championships in Eugene, Oregon, June 5-8.

Eugene, Oregon, by the way, was the site for the Wanda Diamond League’s Prefontaine Classic at the Hayward Field on Saturday where Charlton, the world indoor 60m hurdles record holder, placed fourth in the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.63.

Cyrena Samba-Mayela ran a national record for France in her personal best of 12.52. Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn took second in 12.54 and American Tonea Marshall was third in 12.55.

Also competing at the meet was Ian Kerr, who had to settle for ninth place in the men’s 200m in 20.87. American Kenneth Bednarek led an American sweep of the top four positions in 19.89.

Back to the NCAA ranks, two halves of the qualifying meets took place with Bahamians making their performance felt.

NCAA West First Round

in Fayetteville, Arkansas

Fresh off her graduation ceremony at Nebraska, Rhema Otabor came out on the field and tossed the women’s javelin 186-10 (56.94m) on her second attempt to book her ticket to the NCAA Championships. She did 186-10 (56.94m) on her first attempt, but scratched her second.

Antoine Andrews, a sophomore at Texas Tech, was fourth in his heat of the men’s 100m hurdles quarterfinals for 16th place in 13.60 and shy of a spot in the NCAA Championships. Andrews had the 19th best time of 13.68 in the preliminaries after he was third in his heat.

NCAA East First Round

in Lexington, Kentucky

Wanya McCoy, a junior at Florida, was second in his heat for seventh overall in the men’s 100m in 10.06 to advance to the NCAA finals. He won his heat in 10.29 for the seventh fastest qualifying time in the preliminaries.

McCoy won his heat in the second fastest qualifying time for NCAA Championships in 19.95. He was tied with Robert Gregroy, a senior at Florida, with the sixth fastest time of 20.34 in the preliminaries.

Anthaya Chartlon had the second best leap of 21-1 1/2 (6.44m) to qualify for the quarterfinals. Her feat came on her first attempt as she trailed her Florida’s team-mate, senior Claire Bryant, who had the leading performance of 21-5 1/4 (6.53m) on her first try,

Charlton, in her sophomore year having transferred from /Kentucky, scratched her second try and closed out her ledger with 20-10 1/4 (6.36m) on her third and final attempt.

Strongman Keyshawn Strachan, a sophomore at Auburn University, had the third best qualifying throw of 244-10 (74.63m) to qualify for NCAA Championships.

The national record holder, rebounding from an injury that hampered his appearance in his freshman season, came through with his best throw on his third attempt after he did 231-5 (70.54m) on his first and 71.37m (234-2m) on his second.

Javonya Valcourt, a sophomore at Tennessee, also advanced to the NCAA Championships as she came in third in her heat of the women’s 400m in 51.62 for ninth place overall. She won her heat for seventh overall in 51.82.

Shaun Miller Jr, a junior at Ohio State, was tied for 13th place with Arvesta Troupe, a sophomore at Ole Miss, in the men’s high jump after they both cleared the with 7-3 1/4 (2.14m). Their performances were one shot shy of making the NCAA Championship cut.

Cassie Thompdon, a junior at Jacksonville, was seventh in her heat of the women’s 200m quarterfinals in 23.30 for 18th overall as she missed a trip to the NCAA Championships. She qualified out of the first round with fourth in her heat in 23.22 for 18th overall.

Grand Bahamian Shatalya Dorsett, a freshman at Louisiana Tech, was sixth in her heat of the women’s 200m for 45th overall in 23.86, but she didn’t advance to the quarterfinals for a chance to make the NCAA Championship cut as well.

Tarajh Hudson, a junior at Northwestern State, was 26th in the men’s discus with a toss of 175-5 (53.48m). His best throw came on his third attempt. He opened with 171-6 (52.27m), but scratched his second try.

Calea Jackson, a freshman at the University of Miami, was 31st in the women’s discus with her heave of 162-7 (49.57m), but it wasn’t enough to get her to the NCAA Championships.

Otto Laing, a freshman at Howard University, was sixth in his heat of the men’s 110m hurdles in 14.03 and he ended up 34th overall, which didn’t allow him to advance to the quarter-finals for a shot at making the cut for the NCAA Championships.

NCAA West First Round

in Fayetteville, Arkansas

Fresh off her graduation ceremony at Nebraska, Rhema Otabor came out on the field and tossed the women’s javelin 186-10 (56.94m) on her second attempt to book her ticket to the NCAA Championships. She did 186-10 (56.94m) on her first attempt, but scratched her second.

Antoine Andrews, a sophomore at Texas Tech, was fourth in his heat of the men’s 100m hurdles quarterfinals for 16th place in 13.60. He didn’t advance to the NCAA Championships, but had the 19th best time of 13.68 in the preliminaries after he was third in his heat.