Cenaiya Billups<\/a> added another milestone to her breakout season by advancing to the NCAA final in the women\u2019s 400-meter hurdles.<\/p>\nBillups posted a time of 55.44 seconds, earning the fastest non-automatic qualifying mark and the fourth-fastest time overall among finalists.<\/p>\n
South Carolina\u2019s Akala Garrett recorded the top semifinal performance at 54.49, while Arkansas\u2019 Saira Prince (55.13) and Kentucky\u2019s Vanice Kerubo Nyagisera (55.41) also finished ahead of Billups.<\/p>\n
Billups will return to the track Saturday at 9:27 p.m. ET with a chance to earn first-team All-America honors.<\/p>\n
Aniya Woodruff Closes Career as All-American<\/p>\n
Howard senior Aniya Woodruff narrowly missed advancing to the 400-meter hurdles final after clocking a time of 56.30 seconds.<\/p>\n
Although her season ended one round short of the championship race, Woodruff concluded her collegiate career with back-to-back Second Team All-America honors, cementing her place among the top hurdlers in Howard program history.<\/p>\n
Howard Relay Team Earns All-America Honors<\/p>\n
Howard\u2019s women\u2019s 4\u00d7100-meter relay team also competed Thursday night.<\/p>\n
The quartet of Lyons, Marcia Sey, Mackenzie Robinson and Nilijah Darden ran 43.66 seconds but came up just short of advancing to Saturday\u2019s final.<\/p>\n
Despite missing qualification, the Bison relay squad earned Second Team All-America honors for its performance at the NCAA Championships.<\/p>\n
Southern\u2019s Tashina Alase Wins Semifinal Heat<\/p>\n
Southern University hurdler Tashina Alase continued her historic season with one of the most dramatic performances of the evening.<\/p>\n
Competing in the third and final semifinal heat of the women\u2019s 100-meter hurdles, Alase knew she needed either a top-two finish or a qualifying time fast enough to advance.<\/p>\n
The senior delivered under pressure.<\/p>\n
After a slow start, Alase surged over the final hurdles and edged Texas A&M\u2019s Jaiya Covington at the finish line, winning the heat in 12.894 seconds.<\/p>\n
The margin between first and fourth place was only 0.036 seconds.<\/p>\n
Covington finished second in 12.899, Clemson\u2019s Oneka Wilson ran 12.926, and Oregon\u2019s Micaela DeMello crossed in 12.930.<\/p>\n
Alase will compete for a national championship Saturday at 8:42 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n
Florida A&M Misses 4\u00d7100 Final by Fractions<\/p>\n
Florida A&M came agonizingly close to advancing to the women\u2019s 4\u00d7100-meter relay final.<\/p>\n
The Rattlers posted a time of 43.455 seconds, finishing 11th overall and less than three-tenths of a second away from qualifying for the championship race.<\/p>\n
Nine teams advanced, with Florida State claiming the final qualifying spot at 43.23 seconds.<\/p>\n
Despite falling short of the final, Florida A&M capped a strong season by reaching the NCAA Outdoor Championships and competing against the nation\u2019s elite sprint programs.<\/p>\n
HBCUs Still Chasing National Titles<\/p>\n
HBCU athletes will have multiple opportunities to bring home NCAA championships on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
HBCU Championship Finalists<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s 100-Meter Hurdles Final<\/p>\n
Tashina Alase, Southern<\/p>\n
8:42 p.m. ET<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s 400-Meter Hurdles Final<\/p>\n
Cenaiya Billups, Howard<\/p>\n
9:27 p.m. ET<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s 200-Meter Final<\/p>\n
Yahnari Lyons, Howard<\/p>\n
9:37 p.m. ET<\/p>\n
With three individual finalists still alive, HBCUs remain firmly in the hunt for national titles as the NCAA Outdoor Championships head into their final day in Eugene.<\/p>\n
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