KINGSTON, Jamaica— Dejanae Oakley of the University of Georgia ran a personal best 50.18 seconds on Thursday to qualify for Saturday’s final of the women’s 400m at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field Championships being held at Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon.

The former Clarendon College standout lowered her previous best to 50.35 seconds as she seeks to improve on her seventh place from last year.

Mountain West champion Shaquena Foote of San Diego State was 11th overall in 51.40 seconds, and Joanne Reid of the University of Arkansas was 24th in 53.11 seconds, both failing to advance.

Number one ranked Habiba Harris of the University of Florida did enough when she ran 12.84 seconds (0.0 m/s), third fastest in the 100 m hurdles, and will be joined in the final by Oneka Wilson of Clemson, who was eighth in 12.93 seconds (1.0 m/s).

Marissa Simpson of the University of Texas-El Paso just missed qualification when she finished 10th with 12.97 seconds (0.0 m/s).

Shenese Walker of Florida State qualified for the 100m with 11.06 (1.4 m/s), the eighth-best time of the round, while Gabrielle Matthews of Florida was ninth in the 200m with a personal best of 22.59 seconds (0.7 m/s) to secure her place in the final.

Aaliyah Foster of the University of Texas finished seventh in the women’s long jump with a wind-aided 6.47 m (2.6 m/s) after placing 13th last year.

In the 400m hurdles semi-finals, Safhia Hinds of Kansas State was 13th with 57.18 seconds, Dyandra Gray of the University of Minnesota ran 58.86 seconds and Calisha Taylor of Baylor clocked 59.70 seconds.

-Paul Reid