VIRGINIA BEACH, VA -- South Carolina State's track and field teams continued to make strides Monday during Day Two of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Virginia Beach Sports Center. The competition concludes Tuesday.

The Bulldogs' Dexter Ratliff finished second in the weight throw with a toss of 17.01m (59-9 ft.) for eight points, while Jalen Alleyne was sixth in the men's heptathlon with 3326 points, and Mekhi Bosket was sixth in the high jump (1.91m, 6-3.25 ft.) for 2.5 pts.

The SC State men have amassed a total of 20.5 points for fifth in the team standings, behind Norfolk State, which continues to lead with 65 points. In the women's competition, the Lady Bulldogs picked four points in the 4000 Distance Medley Relay with a fifth place, earned three points in the high jump with a 6^th place finish by Cameran Gist (1.52m, 4-11.75 ft.) and a total of six points in the women's penthalon with a fifth by Makayla Jones for four points and a seventh by Dominique Edmondson for two points.The women are sixth in the team standings with 18 points behind leader Howard with 66 points.

"We finished the day getting all we could," said Bulldog head coach Donald Cooper. "We got a huge boost in morale when President and First Lady Conyers came through to show support.
We had athletes really step up and do things that they didn't know they could. It was awesome to see.  The coaching staff did a spectacular job again today with our athletes.  This is a huge step in getting where we want to be."
 
SCSU's Kristopher Brown and Coppin State's Noxroy Wright both ran a 6.80 in the men's 60 meters prelims, the fastest time among the eight qualifiers, while defending champion Kai Cole of Norfolk State was close behind with a 6.81.The 60-meters final is Tuesday.