BATON ROUGE – The cool, dreary weather dampened nearly every competitor's marks and times Saturday at the LSU Boots Garland Invitational, but the persistent rain couldn't prevent a handful of standout Northwestern State performances in a field that included LSU, Houston and a slew of in-state schools.

Sophomore Lauren Clarke didn't let chilly temperatures with wind chills in the mid-50s stop her from logging a career-best 5-10 in the high jump, besting the field by nearly six inches as she cleared the last three bars as the only jumper left in the competition.

The 5-10 mark moves her to a tie for 17^th nationally and improves on NSU's third-best height in program history that Clarke already owned (previous best was 5-9.25).

Clarke didn't compete in the long jump, an event in which she's excelled since picking it up less than two months ago.

But senior Jasmyn Steels sidestepped rain to match her season best in the long jump at 21-5.25, which won the event by nearly a foot with just three other jumpers eclipsing the 20-foot mark.

Steels, who does own the NSU record, tied her own No. 2 mark in NSU history and now owns 11 of the 12 best long jump marks in program lore. That distance also sits eighth nationally.
Clarke and Steels teamed up to snatch first and third, respectively, among collegiate jumpers in the triple jump.

Clarke measured at 41-5 and Steels 39-5.25.

"The kids competed well in unfortunate conditions that you don't expect in Baton Rouge in mid-April," said NSU coach Mike Heimerman. "It's not the conditions that we wanted, but the kids did what they could with it. I'm proud of everybody out there today, but especially the kids that were still able to set (personal records) in these conditions.

"The rain started early in the discus, and even when it lightened up, there was still a light mist. It came down toward the end of the day in the pole vault, javelin, 200 meters and relays. We got some things established and figured out, but the rain made everybody uncomfortable today."

Annemarie Broussard also claimed a collegiate win in the pole vault, posting a season-best 12-11.75 to finish second overall. That mark is seventh-best in NSU outdoor history.

Three NSU 800 meter runners set personal best marks, including Olivia Sipes who nearly won her event.

Sipes' 2:17.17 was just a tenth of a second slower than the winning time as she finished second in her heat and second overall. Portia Harris placed 12^th after shaving several tenths off her career best with a 2:23.48.

On the men's side, Mike Alukunyang clocked a personal outdoor best with a 2:00.40, finishing 12^th.

NSU logged podium-worthy finishes in three other events.

Natashia Jackson turned in a solid 54.35 in the 400 meters to snatch third place. Janiel Moore just missed a season best with a 56.24 to grab eighth.

Akira Phillip captured third in the javelin with a throw of 119-10. Teammate Ashley Dufus took sixth with a 113-06.

The men's 4x400 relay finished third with a 3:13.71 behind the quartet of Dejon Blake, Kennedy Harrison, Ebenezer Aggrey and Destine Scott.

NSU's other two relays turned in top five finishes.

The men's 4x100 just missed a sub-40 mark (40.20) to place fourth with Kie'Ave Harry, Kennedy Harrison, Brandon Letts and Tre'Darius Carr moving the stick.

The women's 4x100 took fifth (45.70) with the foursome of Robyn Byrd, Jayla Fields, Aarika Lister and Jackson.

"It's important that athletes experience this kind of weather because it's possible to this kind of weather at the NCAA Championships in Oregon," Heimerman said. "When the men's 4x100 relay set the school record, it was on a day like today.

"Our 800 runners are trending in the right direction, and I thought Kennedy Harrison did some really good work out of lane nine in the 200 meters. We got some good work in today in certain events."

Harrison had the best showing of any individual sprinter with an eighth-place finish in the 200. His 21.09 was the sixth-best time among collegians. Evan Nafe (18^th, 22.07) and Austin Simoneaux
(21^st, 22.20) were a couple tenths off their season bests.

Harry ran in an ultra-competitive 100 meter heat, finishing seventh in his heat by ninth overall with a 10.42. Other notable 100 results include Kavacion Webster posting a season-best 10.81 (27^th) with Harrison (19^th, 10.67) and Carr (21^st, 10.68) finishing in the top half of the 47-runner field.

Byrd cashed in on her season-best time in the 100 meters with an 11.92, finishing 10^th in a 36-runner field.

Three other NSU field participants advanced to the finals in four events in their respective disciplines.

Kristin McDuffie advanced to the finals of the hammer throw and discus, placing eighth and ninth, respectively.

McDuffie's hammer throw of 163-5 was just two inches shy of her career high despite the rainfall. She tossed the discus 139-1.75.

Quindarrius Thompson placed fifth in the triple jump with a 48-1.25, which was the fourth-best mark among collegians.

Markeit Steverson finished sixth (fifth among collegians) with a distance of 23-1.75.