LYNCHBURG, Va. – Malika Pride continued her strong start to the Spartans' indoor track season, recording runner-up finishes in both of her events over the weekend at the Liberty Elite Invitational.

Pride took second in the 200 and 500-meter events and was the top collegiate finisher in both races. Pride won her heat in the 200m Friday in 24.39 seconds. On Saturday, she clocked a time of 1:15.40 in her second-place finish in the 500m. In both races, she trailed only a post-collegiate/unattached athlete at the top of the standings.

"Malika ran a pair of good races and definitely led the team this weekend," NSU Director of Track & Field Kenneth Giles said. "She has put in a lot of good work in the offseason and is very dependable. She has also really jelled with (associate head coach Malcolm) Watts."

NSU also god a pair of strong races Saturday from redshirt freshman Indya Richards in the 60m hurdles. Richards qualified for the finals for the second straight weekend and posted a PR of 8.68 seconds in a runner-up finish of her own on Saturday.

"Indya had a breakthrough meet," Giles said. "This is what we expected of her when we recruited her as a state champion out of New York."

Kiara Grant and Kara Grant (no relation) both notched a third-place finish over the weekend. Kiara Grant was third behind Pride in the 200m in 24.43. Kara Grant came in third in the 1,000 in 3:02.38.

Arieana Parker had the top finish for the Spartans in the field. She finished ninth in the shot put with a top throw of 38 feet, 2 inches.

The Spartans are next in action on Monday, Feb. 1 in the first of their two meets at the Virginia Beach Sports Center, the Virginia Beach Open. The meet will be hosted by the University of Virginia.