BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Freshman Kimone Green scored 28 points at the Southland Conference for Abilene Christian last Thuesday (Mar 3) at the Birmingham CrossPlex (Video interview with Kimone below).
A native of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, Green won the 400-meter dash, placed second in the 200m, and scored four points in the 60m hurdles all before running the lead leg for a 4×400 relay that placed third in 3:45.65. She was followed by freshman Petrene Plummer, sophomore Taylor Yantis and junior Jessica James.
The six points earned by the Wildcats' relay capped an emotional afternoon for the coaching staff and many of the returning student-athletes as it was only one year ago here that ACU's women's team finished ninth with 25 points. This year's edition, however, had that score beat after nine events when Diana Garcia-Munoz, Isabella Gutierrez andAlexandria Hackett combined for seven points in the mile.
Green soon afterward earned 10 points for winning the 400m over Sam Houston State's Jordan Grady, 55.24 to 55.50, to vault the Wildcats into fourth place. And that's where ACU would stay for the remainder of the meet, coming in behind Stephen F. Austin (132.5), Sam Houston State (118) and Lamar (106) with 69 points.
Northwestern State was a distant fifth with 46 points.
"The women went from ninth to fourth in just one year because of the hard work put in by these amazingly talented and intelligent student-athletes," said head coach Keith Barnier. "They all want to be great, and as for Kimone, she stayed on that track for two-straight days sacrificing her body for the team."
All of Green's individual marks were personal bests. She completed the 60m hurdles in 8.72, which ranks her second on ACU's all-time top-performer list behind senior Lexus Williams, who today finished fourth in this event (8.67).
