Clayton State’s Smith gains NCAA provisional qualifying mark at Coach “O” Invitational

TROY, Ala. – April 28, 2012 – Two weeks ago, Shannon Smith wasn't even a part of the Clayton State Laker women's track and field team. Now, she is on the cuspert of an NCAA Division II National Championship opportunity.

Smith reach an NCAA Division II provisional qualifying mark in the high jump on Saturday at the Coach "O" Invitational at Troy. Smith, a junior center on the nationally-ranked Clayton State women's basketball team, finished third overall with a height of 5-6.25. NCAA Division II provisional qualifying height is 5-6.

Laker head coach Mike Mead believes Smith needs another two inches to solidify a berth for her in the 2012 NCAA Division II National Championships next month. She had two opportunities at 5-8.5 on Saturday, but scraped the bar both times.

Overall, Clayton State had six Top 10 finishes for the meet and finished ninth overall in the 13-team field with 18 points.

In addition to Smith, women's basketball teammate and freshman Jessica Covington finished fifth in the high jump with a height of 5-4.50. In the shot put, senior Kayla Mobley finished seventh with a throw of 41-6.5. In the running events, junior Monique Belmudes placed sixth in the 1,500-meter run in 4:55.20, while junior Paige Galvin finished ninth in 5:03.65.

In addition, the Laker 4x400-meter relay team of Belmudes, Galvin, Samantha Walling and Gisele Javois finished sixth with a time of 4:24.57.

Smith, Covington and Mobley will compete for Clayton State in the Georgia Tech Invitational on May 11-12.