The foursome of Khari Herbert (So./Coral Springs, FL), Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (Jr./Raleigh, NC), Kevaughn Hewitt (Sr./Miamar, FL) and Omar Johnson (Jr./Jamaica) of Saint Augustine’s University blazed to victory in the men’s 4×400 meter relay on the second day of the Virginia Tech Invitational indoor track & field meet at Rector Fieldhouse on January 17. They ran a time of 3:11.49 to automatically qualify for the NCAA Division II Championships, which will be held March 2015.

The relay team was one of several Falcons and Lady Falcons who stood out at the meet. In the men’s events, Daniel Jamieson (Jr./Windsor, CT) was third in the 200 meter dash in a provisional qualifying time of 21.53 seconds. He also placed fourth in the 60 meter dash in a provisional qualifying time of 6.81 seconds. Johnson finished second in the 400 meter dash in a provisional qualifying time of 47.96 seconds. JaQuan Demiel (Sr./Suffolk, VA) placed fifth in the long jump with a provisional qualifying leap of 7.15 meters.

Bershawn “Batman” Jackson, an Olympic medalist and former Falcons’ standout, won the 500 meter run in 1:01.45 to break the Rector Fieldhouse record he set in 2014.

In the women’s events, Fanta Fofana (Sr./Amiens, France) finished second in the 800 meter run, and Shakinah Brooks (So./Raleigh, NC) was fourth in the long jump with an automatic qualifying leap of 6.13 meters. Ornella Livingston (Jr./Christiana, Jamaica) was fifth in the 60 meter dash in a provisional qualifying time of 7.51 seconds. Shamia Lassiter (Jr./Chesapeake, VA) placed sixth in the 60 meter hurdles in a provisional qualifying time of 8.79 seconds.

Saint Augustine’s University was the only NCAA Division II school competing in the meet. The Falcons and Lady Falcons are back in action in the Fast Track Invitational at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C., on January 24, and January 25.