UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Junior sprinters Kiara Grant and Malika Pride combined for three wins and a pair of personal records, and NSU's middle distance runners also excelled as the Spartans competed over the weekend at the Penn State National Open.

Grant pulled off a pair of victories, in the 60 and invitational 200 meters. She clocked a PR of 7.20 in her 60m win on Friday and then cruised to a win in 23.66 in the 200 on Saturday. Teammate DaJah Parker-Love also PRed in the 200, taking second behind Grant in the invitational section in 23.84 seconds.

Pride smashed her PR in her victory in the invitational 400 meters on Saturday. Her winning time of 53.81 seconds marked her first time ever under 54 seconds indoors and should place her among the top 20 nationally.

Standout 800-meter runners Martha Bissah and Kara Grant also excelled on Saturday. Bissah clocked a season-best and placed second behind reigning NCAA indoor 800m champion Danae Rivers in the invitational section of the half mile. Bissah's time was 2:05.38, which improves upon her NCAA top-five time entering the meet.

Kara Grant won the open section of the 800m and lowered her season best by three seconds with her clocking of 2:11.11. She now ranks second behind only Bissah in the MEAC in the 800m.

Also Saturday, sophomore Fridah Koech placed seventh in the 3,000m in 10:22.28. Freshman De'Niya Gravely posted a season-best in the open 200m in 24.99, good for fourth place.

The Spartans are back in action next Friday and Saturday at the VMI Winter Relays.