COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College Lady Tigers opened up the first day of the 2026 SIAC Outdoor Track & Field Championship, presented by Toyota, with three points through the first three scored events on Tuesday at the Sheila and Morris Cregger Track on the campus of the University of South Carolina.

Mercy Kwambai scored the three points for Benedict with a sixth-place finish in the women's 10,000-meter run.
 
In some preliminary heats, Gabrielle Pinder advanced to the finals of the women's 200-meter dash with a time of 24.59, the third-fastest time.
 
Benedict's 4x100-meter relay team of Jada Williams, Gabrielle Pinder, Karma Moultrie, and Xaria Bascombe qualified for the finals with a time of 49.65, the sixth-fastest time.
 
Benedict stands in seventh place after the first day. Tuskegee leads after Day One with 42 points, followed by Albany State with 36 points.
 
The championship will continue with Day Two on Wednesday, with medal events in the heptathlon, discus, pole vault, triple jump, shot put, and the steeplechase, with preliminary heats in the 100-meter hurdles, 1,500-meter run, 400-meter dash, 100-meter dash, and 4x400-meter relay.
 
Tickets are available at www.benedicttickets.com. The event is being live streamed on www.thesiacnetwork.tv.