ATLANTA, Ga. — The Columbus State University Men's and Women's Track & Field teams opened competition Friday at the Emory Spring Break Classic, hosted at the Emory University Track, with a series of standout performances, personal records, and a school-record effort to highlight day one action.
The Cougars made an immediate impact in the field events, as Jaylan Ransom delivered a historic performance in the men's hammer throw. Ransom set a new Columbus State school record with a mark of 52.71 meters (172'11"), breaking the previous program standard and highlighting a strong start for the Cougar throwers.
In the men's triple jump, Columbus State saw multiple top performances led by
Jamir Bradley, who recorded a personal-best leap of 14.45 meters (47'5") to place third overall. Teammate Aaryn Sanders also turned in a personal-record mark of 13.95 meters (45'9"), adding depth to the Cougars' field event success.
On the women's side, Candace Harris posted a season-best clearance of 1.40 meters (4'7") in the high jump, continuing her steady progression early in the outdoor season.
The Cougars also delivered strong showings on the track, particularly in the 400-meter hurdles.
Zaccharius Brown led the men's effort with a season-best time of 54.02, finishing fourth overall and posting one of the fastest season-opening times of his career.
Zion Atkinson followed with a personal-best 56.15, while Aaryn Sanders added another PR with a time of 58.45.
For the women,
Liza Varnum turned in a strong performance in the 400-meter hurdles, clocking a season-best 1:05.96 to place sixth overall, marking the fastest season opener of her career and closing in on her personal record.
In sprint action, Zahara Walker recorded a season-best time of 25.72 in the 200 meters, contributing to a solid day for the Cougar sprinters.
Columbus State also saw success in relay competition, as both the men's and women's 4x400-meter relay teams recorded top-eight finishes, with the women's squad posting a season-best time in the event.
The Cougars return to the track Saturday, March 21, for the final day of the Emory Spring Break Classic, aiming to build on their strong Day One performances.
ATLANTA, Ga. — The Columbus State University men's and women's track & field teams turned in a strong showing at the Emory Spring Break Classic, highlighted by multiple top-five finishes, a school-record performance, and several personal bests across the two-day meet.
On the women's side,
Liza Varnum led the way on the track, placing sixth in the 400-meter hurdles (1:05.96) and ninth in the 100-meter hurdles (15.44). The Cougar relay squads also delivered strong performances, finishing fourth in the 4x200-meter relay (1:42.95), sixth in the 4x100-meter relay (48.71), and seventh in the 4x400-meter relay (4:06.23).
In the field events, Taliyah Schreane recorded an 11th-place finish in the shot put (38-0.25), while Molly Rickard added an 11th-place showing in the pole vault (9-10.00). On the distance side, Reese Moss paced the Cougars with a 19th-place finish in the 3000-meter run (12:32.20).
The men's team posted several top performances, led by
Zaccharius Brown, who finished fourth in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 54.02. In the field events,
Jamir Bradley earned a third-place finish in the triple jump (47-4.75), while Jaylan Ransom also placed third in the hammer throw with a mark of 172-11.
Columbus State's relay teams continued to shine, with the men's 4x100-meter relay placing third (42.01), while the 4x200 (1:29.41) and 4x400 (3:22.33) teams both secured fifth-place finishes.
Additional top finishes included Nathan Walker (fourth, pole vault – 15-7.00),
Camerin Rigdon (sixth, pole vault – 14-7.00), and
Blake Lewis, who placed seventh in the 800-meter run (1:57.21).
Overall, Columbus State combined for multiple top-10 finishes and continued to build momentum early in the outdoor season with strong performances across sprints, hurdles, distance, relays, and field events.
