SMC Women’s Track & Field Posts Wins and Multiple AAC Qualifiers at Tornado Classic

BLACK MOUNTAIN, NC – The Spartanburg Methodist College women's track and field team continued its outdoor season Friday at the Tornado Classic, hosted by Brevard College, turning in a strong day highlighted by multiple event wins, personal records, and championship qualifiers.

Polly Addington led the way with a victory in the 400-meter hurdles, crossing the line in 1:12.67. Carson Byrd also claimed a first-place finish, winning the 200-meter dash in 26.88.

Byrd was one of several Pioneers to post standout performances in the sprints. She added a runner-up finish in the 100-meter dash, where three SMC athletes recorded personal-best times. Da'Sani Kinlaw placed third in 12.70, followed by De'Nasia Robinson in fourth at 12.80. All three marks met the qualifying standard for the 2026 AAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Jayla Bivings delivered a pair of strong performances in the hurdles, finishing second in the 100-meter hurdles with a personal-record time of 16.34—the second-fastest mark in program history. She also placed second in the 400-meter hurdles (1:14.43), finishing just behind Addington. Both performances secured AAC Championship qualifying marks.

Kinlaw continued her impressive day in the 200-meter dash, finishing just 0.03 seconds behind Byrd with a personal-best time of 26.71. Both Kinlaw and Byrd now rank among just seven athletes in program history to run the 200 meters in under 27 seconds, with both performances meeting AAC Championship standards.

In the field events, McKensley Parks set the tone with a second-place finish in the shot put, recording a mark of 34-0 (10.36m) to break her own school record by 10 inches. She followed that performance with a third-place finish in the discus at 106-3 (32.39m). Both marks also qualified her for the AAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

The Pioneers will look to build on this momentum as they continue their outdoor campaign in the coming weeks.