March 29, 2008

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. --- Senior distance runner Whitney Mays headlined the UAB track and field team's effort as she won the 3,000-meter steeplechase Saturday at the Alabama Relays.

Mays, a C-USA champion and regional qualifier in the event last year, won the race with a time of 11:24.58 nearly fifteen seconds faster than the competition.

The Blazers got strong finishes by Alina Varpiotaite and Genoah Collins in the 1500-meter run. Varpiotaite finished fourth overall and in her heat with a mark of 4:39.32, while Collins took fifth place overall with her time of 4:40.83 in the same heat.

Amber Walker finished fourth in her heat in the 200-meter dash with a time of 25.91. Veronica Johnson finished the event with a time of 26.08 and second in her heat.

Timara McMillan had a third-place finish in her section of the 100-meter hurdles. She finished with a time of 15.12.

In the 800-meter dash, Bianca LeBlanc placed fourth in her heat with a time of 2:17.74 with Kendel Hood crossing the finish line seventh at 2:20.20. Katie Horton came in third in her heat with a time of 2:23.78.

Erica Whitby cleared 1.55 meters in the high jump to net a 11th-place finish.

Katryce Sykes finished third in her heat and eighth overall in the 400-meter hurdles. She led the two other Blazers with a time of 1:03.72. Christina Chambers finished in 1:06.14 and sixth in her heat and Tracy Rowan ran a 1:09.29 time and placed sixth in her respective heat.

The feature day of the Alabama Relays will be held Sunday and begins with 8 a.m. with field events.