Burton Leads Dillard Women with Personal Best at Prairie View Relays

Tori Burton getting ready to handoff to her teammate during the women's 4x100 relay at the Prairie View Relays this weekend. Photo Credit: James Pennington III
Tori Burton getting ready to handoff to her teammate during the women's 4x100 relay at the Prairie View Relays this weekend. Photo Credit: James Pennington III
March 28, 2026

Prairie View, TX (March 27,2026) — The Dillard University women's track & field team delivered a strong and well-rounded performance at the Prairie View Relays on Friday, highlighted by senior standout Tori Burton, who recorded a personal-best performance and led multiple sprint events.

Burton headlined the meet for the Lady Bleu Devils, placing 4th in the women's 100-meter dash with a personal-best time of 11.85 seconds. She advanced to the finals after running 12.15 seconds in the prelims and continued her impressive day with a 5th-place finish in the 200 meters (24.77). Burton also played a key role in Dillard's 4x100-meter relay team, which finished 6th overall in 46.68 seconds, a season-best mark.

In the 100-meter prelims, freshman Tatiana Clay joined Burton in advancing to the finals with a time of 12.20 seconds, while Mackenzie Cannon (12.47), Ta'nyia Flowers (12.49, SB), and Ta'nijal Matthews (12.59) added depth in a competitive field.

The 200 meters showcased Dillard's sprint depth, with five athletes finishing inside the top 20. Flowers (25.39), Matthews (25.43), freshman Lazariah Garner (25.63, PB), Karlise Davison (25.69), Clay (25.70), and Cannon (25.75) all contributed strong performances.

Garner and Davison also impressed in the 400 meters, with Garner posting a season-best 59.21s and Davison recording a personal-best 59.67s.

In the hurdles, sophomore Laila Johnson turned in one of the top performances of the meet, finishing 4th in the 400-meter hurdles with a personal-best time of 1:02.61. She also competed in the 100-meter hurdles, clocking 15.28s, while senior Trinity Marshall added a season-best 15.91s.

Dillard's distance crew showed continued progress, led by freshman Nhaydia Flowers, who placed 3rd in the 3000-meter steeplechase (14:49.06). Caitlyn Gordon (2:39.54, SB) and Kennedy Timmons (2:53.87) competed in the 800 meters, while both Timmons (6:01.26, SB) and Gordon (6:03.97, PB) ran solid races in the 1500 meters.

In the field events, freshman Tatiana Clay recorded a standout performance in the long jump, finishing 6th with a personal-best leap of 5.62 meters (18-5.25). Shaloni Walker added a season-best 10.48 meters (34-4.75) in the triple jump and posted 5.24 meters (17-2.25) in the long jump.

Senior Darneé Williams led Dillard throwers across multiple events, including discus (25.47m), hammer (26.22m), and shot put (10.62m), while Marshall also contributed in the shot put (7.78m).

The Lady Bleu Devils demonstrated depth across sprints, distance, hurdles, and field events, continuing to build momentum as the outdoor season progresses.

Dillard will look to carry this strong showing into their next competition as they prepare for upcoming conference meets.

-Bleu Devils-