EMPORIA, KS- The West Texas A&M Lady Buffs Track and Field team finish sixth in the nation after three days of competition at the NCAA Division II National Championship meet in Emporia, Kansas at the Francis G. Welch Stadium. The Lady Buffs scored 32 points as a team in four events. 
 
FINAL DAY RECAP
Florance Uwajeneza made WT history as the first Lady Buff to become a national champion in two events at the national meet. She ran the 5,000m in 16 minutes, 33 seconds to take gold over Adams State Brianna Robles who was the defending champion and Division II national record holder in the event. Under hot weather conditions, Uwajeneza kept with the pack until eight laps to go before breaking ahead with Robles. At five laps Uwajeneza took off and never looked back. Uwajeneza brought in 20 team points for the Lady Buffs with her first place finishes. 
 
Florance is in an elite group of athletes across all divisions to become a two-time national champion in one weekend in the 5,000m and 10,000m distance events. She finished her career as a Lady Buff this weekend as a three-time national champion and the school record holder in both events. 
 
Corrssia Perry and Blessing Akintoye scored in the 400m with Perry taking fifth and Akintoye in seventh. Perry ran the fastest prelim time of 52.89 seconds and finished finals at 52.99, marking the fastest time by a Lady Buff in that event at nationals. The veteran graduate has competed in all four national championship meets since starting graduate school in 2023. Perry broke the school record in the 400m earlier this year at 52.25, a record that had been standing since 1982 (52.34) by Merry Johnson. 
 
Akintoye, a freshman, competed in her first outdoor meet and her first finals event ever on the biggest stage. She finished in 53.30 seconds and brought in two points in her freshman start. 
 
Deborah Acheampong, a freshman, was the sole 100m sprinter for the Lady Buffs and she finished 6^th in her debut in 11.34 seconds. She is the fastest Lady Buff to compete at the national level. Acheampong qualified to finals with the exact time of 11.34 seconds.  
 

ATHLETE	EVENT(S)	TIME/MARK	PLACE	CLASS	NOTEABLES
Florance Uwajeneza	5,000m 10,000m	16:33.00 34:14.47	1st 1st	Sr	-Made history as first Lady Buff to become 2x national champion at NCAA meet  -Facility record in both events  -First time a Lady Buff has won either event
Corrssia Perry	200m 400m 4x400	23.62 52.99 4:43.85	12th 5th 15th	Gr	-Best finish in 400m in Lady Buff history -Fastest time at a national meet for WT in 400m
Blessing Akintoye	400m 4x400	53.50 4:43.85	7th 15th	Fr	-First time competing at outdoor nationals
Miriam Zanovello	Triple Jump	12.61m	6th	Gr	-4th year to compete at outdoor nationals -Best finish in her career at outdoor nationals
Deborah Acheampong	100m 4x100	11.34 44.99	6th DQ	Fr	-Fastest time in Lady Buff history at a national meet
Sarah Koomson	1500m 5,000m	4:37.64 -	14th DNF	Fr	-First outdoor national meet
Betty Bajika	5,000m	17:27.15	15th	Jr	-First time competing at a national meet
DeOndra Green	4x100	44.99	DQ	Jr	-Fourth year in a row to qualify for nationals and compete in 4x100
Joy Udo-Gabriel	4x100	44.99	DQ	Fr	-First time competing at a national meet
Amari Weatherford	200m 4x100	23.30 44.99	DQ	Fr	-First time competing at a national meet
Raquel Chavez	4x400	4:43.85	15th	Sr	-First time competing for the Lady Buffs in a relay event at the national level
Temitope Adenuga	4x400	4:43.85	15th	Fr	-First time competing at a national meet

 
 
The Lady Buffs 4x100 won their preliminary event with a time of 44.99, they qualified for finals. An opposing team protested that the Lady Buffs impeded their lane which disqualified the Lady Buffs for their final event.