TYLER, Texas – More than 20 track and field teams from all divisions wanted to thaw out in the opening outdoors meet of the season, the UT Tyler Icebreaker Classic.

NSU participants in the outdoor-only events like javelin and student-athletes competing for the first time since the pandemic began highlighted the meet.

Senior sprinter Natashia Jackson, who didn't have indoor eligibility remaining, just missed a career best in the 100 meters after not competing for more than a year.

Jackson clocked an 11.76 (.02 off her best) in the preliminaries and won the event (11.82) with Jayla Fields (12.07) finishing third. Not all eligible runners competed in the finals as NSU posted five of the top six times in the prelims, including a personal best from Diana Granados (12.17).

Senior Quindarrius Thompson captured the triple jump event with a leap of 47-3, also his first competition in a year. Markeit Steverson captured third at 43-5.75.

Steverson started outdoors on a positive note with a long jump win at 22-11.75. Nikaoli Williams placed fourth (22-6.25) and Thompson fifth (22-3).

Senior Jasmyn Steels, the 2019 indoor national champion in the long jump, made her return to the track, posting a victory in the high jump (5-7.75) and placing second in the triple jump (39-8.50). Her high jump mark is fifth-best in NSU history.

Lauren-Ashley Clarke came in second in the long jump (19-8) with LaTyria Jefferson finishing third (18-4.25).

Monique Walker posted a personal record in the long jump with an 18-3.75, placing fourth.

Javelin thrower Cole Spooner bested his personal record by more than 20 feet with a throw of 196-8, which placed third. Joshua Riggs finished fifth at 163-5.

The Lady Demons snatched second and third in the javelin as Akira Phillip chunked 130-10 and Ashley Duffus 127-9 in their NSU debuts.

The men's sprinters dominated the 100 meters with the top four finishers. Kie'Ave Harry scorched his previous best with a 10.36 with Kennedy Harrison not far behind (10.42).
TreDarius Carr (10.63) and Javin Arrington (10.71) finished third and fourth. Daveon Rodgers posted a personal best in the prelims with a 10.71 to advance to the finals, where he placed seventh.

Harry's and Harrison's mark are the two best in the nation in the opening weekend.

Freshman pole vaulter Hayden Barrios, who already owns the second-best NSU indoor mark, grabbed the No. 2 mark on NSU's outdoor list with a 16-6.75, earning second place.

Freshman Briana Washington impressed in her outdoors debut with a 146-8 in the discus, taking second. Senior Kristin McDuffie took third with a 145-4.

Washington followed that with a shot put win, tossing 44-4.

McDuffie also logged a fourth-place finish in the hammer throw (153-7), which is a personal record by nearly 20 feet.

The Lady Demons logged three of the top four pole vaulters with Annemarie Broussard claiming victory at 12-9.50 two weeks after capturing the gold at SLC Indoors. Freshmen Karlyn Trahan (11-5.75) and Madison Brown (11-5.75) both logged career bests and took third and fourth, respectively.

Senior sprinter Robyn Byrd also made her long-awaited return to the track, leading the 4x100 relay in a 46.57 to win the event with Alexus Harris, Jayla Fields and Granados.

Byrd also led off the 4x400 relay to an event win (3:56.93) with Harris, Aliyah Carswell and Jasmine Dansby each running legs.

Janiel Moore snatched second in the 800 meters with a 2:20.

Dejon Blake finished second in his first-ever 200 meters at the collegiate level with a 22.44.

Men's shot putter Josh Dimanche won his flight with a 40-4, which placed eighth overall.