EMPORIA, KS — The University of Mount Olive track & field program closed out a historic showing at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships with multiple All-American performances, highlighted by Serenity Harvey becoming the first national champion in program history.
Harvey etched her name into Trojan history Saturday night after capturing the NCAA Division II women’s 200-meter dash national championship with a winning time of 23.11 in the finals held at 7:20 p.m. The freshman became the first track & field national champion in Mount Olive history and delivered just the second national championship in any sport for the institution, joining the 2008 Mount Olive baseball team that captured the school’s first national title when the university was known as Mount Olive College.
After qualifying individually for both the 200-meter and 400-meter dash events, Harvey entered the national meet ranked among the top sprinters in Division II following a 23.38 performance at the Conference Carolinas Championships. She advanced to the finals after posting a personal-best and preliminary-winning time of 23.06, breaking her own school record while also setting new Conference Carolinas and personal-best marks. Harvey followed with another historic performance in the finals to secure First-Team All-American honors and the national title.
Harvey also played a key role in the women’s 4×100-meter relay team, helping the Trojans earn a national runner-up finish with a time of 44.55 to collect additional First-Team All-American honors. She added a Second-Team All-American performance in the 400-meter dash after finishing 15th overall with a time of 54.63.
Janara Bryant added another First-Team All-American finish for Mount Olive after placing fourth in the women’s triple jump with a mark of 12.74 meters.
Futoria Harris helped power the Trojans’ second-place 4×100-meter relay team and earned First-Team All-American honors alongside Harvey with the 44.55 performance. Individually, Harris earned Second-Team All-American honors in the 100-meter dash after finishing 11th with a time of 11.76 while also competing in the 200-meter dash, where she placed 21st in 24.41.
Haniyyah Johnson delivered multiple All-American performances at the national championships. Johnson earned First-Team All-American honors in the 100-meter hurdles after placing fourth overall with a time of 13.35. She also recorded another First-Team All-American finish earlier in hurdle prelims with a 13.49 performance and added Second-Team All-American honors in the long jump after finishing 15th with a mark of 5.72 meters.
On the men’s side, Leland Smith secured Second-Team All-American recognition in the 100-meter dash with a 14th-place finish and a time of 10.62. Antoine King earned All-American honorable mention honors in the discus throw after placing 18th overall with a mark of 49.95 meters.
Under NCAA Division II Track & Field All-American standards, athletes finishing first through eighth earn First-Team All-American honors, ninth through 16th receive Second-Team All-American recognition, and competitors finishing 17th or lower receive honorable mention distinction.
Comments