Xavier University of Louisiana women's track and field
Yamlak Tsega / XULA Athletics

Women's Track and Field

Gold Nuggets win 4 events at GCAC Championships

Results:  Men    Women

     NEW ORLEANS — Drew Chatters and Terri Cunningham repeated as champions, and Dionysia Love won a pair of titles to lead Xavier University of Louisiana's women Saturday in the seventh annual Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships at Tad Gormley Stadium.
     The Gold Nuggets, winner of the past three GCAC team titles and five of the previous six, finished third with 131 points. Dillard won the women's title with 176 points, and Edward Waters was second with 159.
     In men's team scoring, Xavier placed fifth with 30 points. Edward Waters repeated as team champion with 200 points.
     Chatters won the javelin on her final throw, 32.81 meters (107 feet, 8 inches). Cunningham won the high jump in 1.51 meters (4-11 1/2), a half-inch better than her 2015 mark. Love, one of six freshmen to score for the Gold Nuggets, won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in the morning in 12 minutes, 44.70 seconds, then won the 5,000 late in the afternoon in 22:28.57.
     Two XU freshmen finished second — Maliya Vaughan in the 1,500 (5:18.03) and Brianna Pace in the 5,000 (22.32.34).
     The Gold Nuggets placed second in two relays (400 and 3,200) and third in the other (1,600). At 400 meters, Chelsea James, Destini Thomas, Alexis Milton and Martina Wright produced a school-record 47.04 seconds that met the A-qualifying standard for next month's NAIA National Championships. At 3,200 meters, an all-freshman quartet of Love, Chinyere Jones, Pace and Vaughan finished in 10:24.59. In the 1,600, Kailey Williams, Clarke Allen, Jones and Kayla Quincy produced a season-best 3:58.07.
     Nuggets newcomers accounted for 80 points, nearly two-thirds of their team total. XU freshmen scored 70 1/2 points. Love (23 points), Vaughan (20) and Cunningham (15) were the Nuggets' leading scorers.
     The Xavier men did not win any events but got a runner-up finish from freshman Keairez Coleman in the triple jump (13.68 meters/44-10 3/4) and thirds from Christopher Kennie in the long jump (6.83/22-5) and Christopher August in the 1,500 (4:19.03). Coleman's mark is the best by a Gold Rush jumper in the last four seasons. Kennie's long jump was his best since 2013.
     Coleman, the leading Gold Rush scorer with 10 points, placed sixth in the long jump (6.31/20-8 1/2) and shot put (10.20/33-5 3/4).
     Xavier and SUNO were co-hosts of the GCAC Championships. Next competition for Xavier will be the HBCU National Classic May 13-14 at Huntsville, Ala.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Keairez Coleman

Keairez Coleman

5' 10"
Freshman
Jumps
Christopher August

Christopher August

5' 10"
Junior
Middle Distance/Distance
Christopher Kennie

Christopher Kennie

6' 4"
Senior
Jumps
Drew Chatters

Drew Chatters

5' 5"
Sophomore
Throws
Terri Cunningham

Terri Cunningham

5' 4"
Junior
Hurdles, Heptathlon
Chelsea James

Chelsea James

5' 2"
Senior
Sprints
Destini Thomas

Destini Thomas

5' 5"
Sophomore
Sprints
Kailey Williams

Kailey Williams

4' 11"
Senior
Sprints
Brianna Pace

Brianna Pace

5' 1"
Freshman
Middle Distance, Distance
Dionysia Love

Dionysia Love

5' 3"
Freshman
Middle Distance, Distance

Players Mentioned

Keairez Coleman

Keairez Coleman

5' 10"
Freshman
Jumps
Christopher August

Christopher August

5' 10"
Junior
Middle Distance/Distance
Christopher Kennie

Christopher Kennie

6' 4"
Senior
Jumps
Drew Chatters

Drew Chatters

5' 5"
Sophomore
Throws
Terri Cunningham

Terri Cunningham

5' 4"
Junior
Hurdles, Heptathlon
Chelsea James

Chelsea James

5' 2"
Senior
Sprints
Destini Thomas

Destini Thomas

5' 5"
Sophomore
Sprints
Kailey Williams

Kailey Williams

4' 11"
Senior
Sprints
Brianna Pace

Brianna Pace

5' 1"
Freshman
Middle Distance, Distance
Dionysia Love

Dionysia Love

5' 3"
Freshman
Middle Distance, Distance