EMPORIA, Kan. --- The Tusculum University women's 4x100-meter relay was the top qualifier in Thursday's preliminaries at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championship at Emporia State University.

Two members of the 4x100 relay, sophomore Qitarah Castlin and senior Jahzara Hart, also qualified for Saturday's finals in the 100 meters during Thursday's opening day of the three-day championship.

Running in the second of two heats, the quartet of Castlin, senior Shanice Cox, sophomore Kori Moore and Hart posted a stadium-record time of 44.15 seconds that was nearly a full second ahead of runner-up Ashland and four-tenths faster than heat one winner Mount Olive. The Pioneers, who were fourth in the 4x100 at last year's championship, will have the preferred lane assignment for Saturday's final, which will be held at 4:40 p.m. Eastern.

In the 100 meters, Castlin qualified second with a time of 11.52 seconds in her heat, while Hart won her heat in 11.54 seconds and was third overall in the field. Cox also competed and placed 12th with a time of 11.77 seconds, earning her second-team All-America honors for the second time in her Tusculum career. The 100 finals will be Saturday at 6:05 p.m. Eastern.

On Friday, Hart, Moore and Castlin will compete in the trials of the 200 meters at 6:45 p.m. Eastern, followed by Moore in the 100 hurdles at 7:50 p.m. Eastern.

NCAA Division II Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championship
at Emporia, Kansas - Day 1 of 3

Tusculum results
100 prelims: 2. Qitarah Castlin, 11.52 (advances); 3. Jahzara Hart, 11.54 (advances); 12. Shanice Cox, 11.77.
4x100 prelims: 1. Tusculum (Castlin, Cox, Moore, Hart), 44.15 (advances).