Viks take bite out of the Big Apple

Portland State’s indoor track and field teams wrapped up an impressive performance in the New Balance Collegiate Invitational held at the nationally renowned Armory Track and Field Center in New York City, N.Y., over the weekend.

Sophomore Geronne Black and junior Karene King each posted third-place finishes, while sophomore Joenisha Vinson set a personal best in the women’s 60-meter hurdles.

Vinson tied the school record when she posted a time of 8.71 seconds in the hurdles to finish 20th overall and fourth in her heat. She also finished 57th in the women’s long jump with a leap of 5.02 meters.

In the women’s 60m, Black sprinted her way to third place and a personal best with a time of 7.69 seconds, while King finished sixth with a time of 7.73 seconds.

King though, managed to sprint her way to an impressive third place result in the 200m with a time of 24.87 seconds—just .02 seconds behind winner Lakeisha Kelley of Florida International University.

Sophomore Alyssa Rife finished the women’s 400m in 57th place after covering the distance in 1 minute, .20 seconds. The women’s 4-by-400 relay team finished 13th with a time of 3:58.34 while senior Mikeya Nicholson finished 15th in the women’s triple jump with a 11.50-meter jump.

In the women’s shot put, junior Adrienne Davis managed a 26th-place finish with a mark of 42 feet, 11.5 inches.

In the men’s 200m, freshman Nate Lightner finished 28th with a time of 22.96 seconds and then turned around to finish 32nd in the 400m in 49.86 seconds. Big Sky heptathlon leader Nick Trubachik completed the 60m hurdles in 8.75 seconds.

Up next for the Vikings is the Husky Classic at Dempsey Indoor in Seattle, Wash., on Saturday.