BRADENTON, Fla. (Track and Field) – On the opening day of the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at IMG Academy, Texas A&M University-Kingsville punched its ticket to the finals for the women's 100-meter dash as well as the women's 4x100-meter relay.

Racheal Somoye started the day in the women's hammer throw where she placed 19th after a 164' 8" (50.20m) mark.

James Passley— the only male competitor of the day for the Javelinas— finished 9th in the finals of the men's long jump with a leap of 24' .25" (7.32m).

Kaina Martinez set a new school record and ran the fastest time of 11.46 seconds in the prelims of the women's 100-meter dash to qualify for the finals in two days. Plaserae Johnson also participated in the event, but fell three seconds short to qualify as she placed 9th with a time of 11.68 seconds. 

Martinez and Johnson along with LaGae Brigance and Keandria Taylor ran an impressive time in the women's 4x100-meter relay prelims and claimed the top slot with their 45.01-second time, which currently sits second in the school's record book.

The championship meet will continue tomorrow with Passley participating in the finals for the men's triple jump and Brigance making her second career appearance in the finals for the women's high jump. Martinez and Johnson will run in the women's 200-meter dash prelims on day two and Javier Lopez will grace the track for the preliminary round in the men's 110-meter hurdles.

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