SEARCY – Harding women's track and field recorded seven event victories, including an astonishing four by senior
Cathy Ebenja, to cruise to a team victory at the Harding Bison Challenge on Saturday at Ted Lloyd Track.
Harding compiled 179.5 points, defeating seven other teams, including second-place Missouri S&T, who had 147.5 points.
Ebenja, a native of Little Rock, Ark., had an incredible day, and freshman
Ewa Zaborowska of Wejherowo, Poland, was also not too bad.
Ebenja won the 100-meter dash in 11.79 seconds. It was an NCAA provisional time, tied for the third-fastest time in Division II this season. It was also the fourth 100-meter event victory in Ebenja's career.
Ebenja also won the 200 meters in 24.69, her second career event victory in the 200 meters.
Earlier in the day, Ebenja competed in two field events and dominated both. In the long jump, Ebenja broke a 23-year-old school record with a jump of 19 feet, 3.25 inches, breaking the old mark of 18-07.50 set by Letha Stewart in 1989. It was an NCAA provisional mark, tied for the fifth-best jump this season in Division II, and Ebenja's third career victory in the long jump.
Ebenja also won the triple jump with a mark of 36-04.75. It was her first career victory in the triple jump and only the second time in her career that she competed in the event.
Zaborowska also won both of her events. She won the 800 meters in 2:11.11, a provisional time and her second event victory in two career 800-meter races. Zaborowska also picked up her first career event victory in the 1,500 meters with a time of 4:36.44.
Harding's other event victory came in the 3,000 meters, where sophomore
Rachel Roberts won for the first time in 10:52.64.
Sophomore
Kristen Celsor also turned in a provisional mark, high jumping a personal-best 5 feet, 6 inches.
Harding had more than 20 Lady Bisons compete at the event. Their next outing is next Saturday at the Mississippi Open in Oxford.