CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Cal Poly Pomona senior Tokunbo Adeniji ran a personal-best 55.00 seconds in the women's 400 meters at the NCAA Championships on Thursday, but missed out on reaching the finals.

Adeniji cut a third of a second off her best time of 55.33, but she finished fifth in her heat. Each winner in the three heats and the five fastest times reach Saturday's finals.

The Pomona native ran the fastest time among her California Collegiate Athletic Association competitors.

Angelo State's Celethia Byrd ran the fastest time in the prelminaries at 53.14 seconds. The eighth and final time to reach the finals was 54.48 by Angelique Smith of St. Augustine.