NEW ORLEANS – Following a record-breaking regular season and a dominant showing in the Great American Conference, six members of the Harding women's track and field team were named to the USTFCCCA All-Central Region team on Thursday.
The All-Region honors are awarded to athletes who finish the season ranked in the top five of their respective individual events within the region. For the Lady Bisons, the honors reflect a balanced attack across distance, sprints, and field events.
ELITE REGIONAL LEADERS
The Lady Bisons were led by senior Josie Parks, who earned the No. 2 regional ranking in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Her time of 10:26.96 set at the Bryan Clay Invitational remains one of the premier marks in the country.
Freshman Erika Konovalenko also secured a top-three regional spot, ranking No. 3 in the javelin with a massive throw of 51.84m (170-1).
STRENGTH IN THE FIELD
Harding's reputation as a "Field Event University" was further solidified with three other athletes earning All-Region status in the jumps and throws:
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Shot Put: Freshman Yedidya Bangue ranks No. 4 in the Central Region with a mark of 15.16m (49-9).
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Triple Jump: Senior Hanna Onufriieva claimed the No. 5 spot in the region following her clutch 12.28m (40-3.5) leap at the Mother's Day Last Chance meet.
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Pole Vault: Senior Cadence Sansom holds the No. 5 regional ranking after clearing 4.12m (13-6.25) earlier this spring.
TRACK EXCELLENCE
On the track, senior Tetiana Kharashchuk earned All-Region honors in the 400-meter dash. Her season-best time of 53.98, set at the Arkansas Twilight, ranks her No. 5 in a highly competitive Central Region. Kharashchuk was also a key member of the 4x100-meter relay team that finished the season ranked No. 5 in the region with a school-record time of 45.25.
LOOKING TO EMPORIA
All six All-Region honorees will represent Harding at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The high regional standing serves as a strong indicator for potential All-American honors, as many Central Region leaders are also positioned at the top of the national leaderboard.
The national meet begins Thursday, May 21, in Emporia, Kansas.
Harding Women's All-Central Region Honorees:
