April 15, 2006

Berkeley, Calif. - The University of Houston men's and women's track and field teams won 11 events at the University of California's Brutus Hamilton Invitational.

The women's team won three individual events and one relay event. Junior All-America sprinter Ebonie Floyd qualified to compete in the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships by winning the 200-meter dash with a wind-aided time of 23.14 seconds.

Later, Floyd teamed with Octavia Garrett, LaDedra Guy and Seun Adigun to win the women's 4x100-meter relay race with a time of 45.40 seconds.

Senior All-America selection Keisha Howard also qualified for the NCAA Midwest Regional meet when she won the 400-meter dash with a season-best time of 54.57 seconds.

All-America heptathlete Krystal Ward won the women's high jump after clearing 1.58 meters (5 feet, 2.25 inches). She edged teammate Rachel Easley, who also cleared 1.58 meters (5 feet, 2.25 inches).

In the men's division, the Cougars won six individual events and one relay race.

Junior All-America sprinter Carey LaCour won the 200 meters with a season-best time of 20.59 seconds. He edged teammate Preston Perry, who had a time of 20.85 seconds. The both qualified to compete in the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships.

Preston ran the first leg and LaCour ran the anchor leg on Houston's winning 4x100-meter relay team. They joined Justin McQueen and Tremaine Smith to finish the race in 40.41 seconds.

Sophomore Kolee Latson won the 400-meter dash with a career-best time of 46.96 seconds, and Senior Sesar Figueroa won the 5,000 meter run with a career-best time of 14:32.36.

Freshman Jeremy Kelley won the men's triple jump with a leap of 14.46 meters (47 feet, 5.25 inches), while another freshman Grant Hightower had the best collegiate long jump with a mark of 6.82 meters (22 feet, 4.50 inches). Hightower edged junior Tristian Whitley, who had a leap of 6.74 meters (22 feet, 1.50 inches).

Senior Jonathan Reeves won the men's shot put with a mark of 17.29 meters (56 feet, 8.75 inches), and registered a third-place finish in the men's discus with a throw of 53.72 meters (176 feet, 3 inches).