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NATCHITOCHES, La. – A pair of first-place finishes and a number of PRs highlighted the day for HBU's track and field team on Friday at the Leon Johnson NSU Invitational, hosted by Northwestern State's Walter P. Ledet Track Complex.
 
Freshman Garrett Gibson reached the podium in a pair of events. He won the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 53.57 after posting a third-place finish in the 110 meter hurdles earlier in the meet. The Huskies other win of the meet came in the women's high jump, an event in which Samara Hodges tied for first, clearing 1.65m/5-5.0 on her first attempt.
 
In the men's 800 meters, freshman Travis Jacobs set a new PR and placed second with a time of 1:53.47 while Christos Zachariou finished in 1:55.42 to take fourth. Johanna Drews also put together a second-place performance in the 1500 meters with a mark of 5:04.94 while Iyanu Adeyeye tied for second in the men's high jump, clearing 1.95m/6-4.75.
 
In the women's throwing events, Chantel Ward placed third in the shot put with a distance of 13.55m/44-5.50 while Jemira Thomlinson came in third with a mark of 47.34m/155-4.0 in the hammer throw. Thomlinson also posted a new PR of 41.18m/135-1.0 in the discus.
 
Freshman Jessica Rabius, running unattached, took third in the women's 800 meters with a time of 2:19.35 while Josh Moran and Stephen Aguilar both set new PRs in the men's 1500. Moran crossed in 4:04.74, placing fourth, while Aguilar finished in 4:15.17.
 
In the men's discus, Damarko Williams placed fourth with a new PR of 41.50m/136-2.0 while Jacob Bowers also set a new personal best thanks to a distance of 41.10m/134-10.0. Meanwhile, in the men's pole vault, Scott Boon cleared 4.60m/15-1.0, finishing fourth.
 
HBU will return to Houston for the J. Fred Duckett Twilight meet hosted by Rice at Ley Track on Saturday, Apr. 20 for their last meet ahead of the Southland Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Natchitoches May 3-5.