University of West Alabama

The St. Catherine University track and field team had an exciting start to the 2014 season as Shakeela Wells-Johnson (St. Paul, Minn.) set a new school record in the 60-meter dash to lead the Wildcats at the University of St. Thomas Opener meet Friday afternoon. For her record-breaking performance, Wells-Johnson has been named the Wildcat Athlete of the Week. 

In just her first collegiate race, Wells-Johnson broke Brianna Ludtke's record from 2011 (7.99) when she took the top spot in the prelim heat with a time of 7.96. The first-year sprinter then bettered her mark with a time of 7.91 to win the finals in the 60-meter dash. Wells-Johnson is the first St. Catherine track and field athlete to set a new indoor school record since 2011. 

Wells-Johnson's time of 7.91 is the fasteset time in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) so far this season and also ranks in the top-10 nationally in the event. Her time is also faster than the third-place time at the MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships last season. 

Wells-Johnson and the rest of the Wildcats return to competition this Saturday at the UW-River Falls Falcon Winter Classic with events scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m.