PITTSBURG, Kan.- Coker College women's track and field runner Darroneshia Lott took home a fourth place finish in the women's 800-meter race at the Division II National Championship, held on Saturday, March 10. Lott's time of 2:08.81 in the event granted her All-American status.
Preparing for the National Championship, head track and field coach Tom Scott stated, "Getting Darroneshia to this event was a huge excitement for both of us." Lott ran in just three indoor events all season long, with her final two coming the past two days. "We had an up and down indoor season, but we got 'Slim' here and to have her race was amazing," Scott said.
The senior Florida native took on the seven-best runners across all of Division II in the women's 800-meter. After 2:08.81 around the 300-meter indoor track, Lott brought home a fourth place finish and garnered All-American status.
"Coming into Friday's (March 9) race, I knew I was running against the best athletes in the country," Lott said. "I wanted to at least make it to the finals, and I did. It was a huge accomplishment to get there. It was all or nothing and I certainly gave it my all."
Darroneshia Lott is the first runner in Coker history to become an All-American in the women's outdoor 800-meter, indoor 800-meter, and cross country 6K.
When asked about how she felt about the accolades she had accounted for, Lott responded, "When I first came to Coker, my feeling and want was to lay down the foundation for future Cobra runners; to be a role model for them."
Lott holds four Coker records in outdoor and indoor track and field events, alongside the top-records in the women's 5K and 6K events in cross country. Coach Scott harped on the success of Lott and how her impact has been felt at Coker. "It's been inspiring to me and her teammates, we know that first-hand," Scott mentioned. "You always hear about athletes with this type of success, but the awesome thing is, we get to experience it every day for ourselves. She's a great role model for us. It's great to have her competing."
Scott also added, "With 'Slim' being an All-American in three separate events, I'm sure she could pick up even more accolades if she entered in those challenges. We couldn't be more happy and proud of her."
Lott's esteemed Coker career will continue as she pursues her final semester to compete in the outdoor track and field season, to which, as she states is where her, "best performances happen."