By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

OVER the years, there’s been quite a few Bahamian connections at various colleges and universities in the United States of America in different sports.

One such connection is that of sprinters Devine Parker and Shatalya Dorsett, both natives of Grand Bahama, who are teaming up to do some big things this year at Georgia Southern. 

“I think having two Bahamian athletes here has been a great honour for our programme,” said head coach David Neville. “Since my time at Taylor University I’ve had the honour to train a number of Bahamian athletes. 

“But Devine and Shatalya have shown during their time here at Georgia Southern that this wonderful island continues to produce extremely amazing talent.”

In their last meet over the weekend at the Sun Belt Outdoor Championships in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Parker won the 200 metres in 23.07 and Dorsett clocked a lifetime best of 23.24. They also ran personal best times of 11.33 for Parker and 11.41 for Dorsett for fourth and seventh respectively in the 100m. 

But, more importantly, Dorsett popped out on the first leg and Parker was on third as Georgia Southern with the addition of Emani George and Naj Watson posted a Sun Belt and meet record of 43.73 in the 4 x 100m relay, shattering Coastal Carolina’s record of 43.79 set in 2022 and breaking the GS record that same team set at the Penn Relays a few weeks ago. Parker, a transfer senior, is making her comeback after sitting out the 2023-2024 season. The former St Anne’s standout who went on to compete for the University of Kentucky in 2018-2019 and Ohio State in 2020-2021, said she’s thrilled to be back, competing at a high level again.

“It feels amazing to be back on the track doing what I love,” she said. “There is nothing quite like the energy of competition and the drive that comes with chasing your goals. After being away, I have a deeper appreciation for every moment I get to compete.”

After missing “the adrenaline, the atmosphere, and just the overall rhythm of competing,” Parker 

“I feel good about the progress I’ve made,” she said. “Of course, there’s always more work to do, but I’m in a place where I’m focused, and ready to continue building on the foundation I’ve set. Every step forward is a win, and I’m proud of how far I’ve come.”

As she look ahead to the rest of the season, Parker said she k=juswt wants to remain healthy, continue improving, and to make the most out of every opportunity on the track. 

“My biggest motto this season is just to have fun and enjoy my last season competing on a collegiate level,” she stated. “There is no pressure on myself whatsoever, and I think that mindset is helping me stay relaxed and focused. I’m aiming to finish strong and leave it all on the track.”

And she’s excited to do it with Dorsett as her teammate, not just in the individual sprints, but as a member of their relay team.

“It’s an incredible feeling. There’s something powerful about sharing the stage with someone who represents the same flag and understands the journey,” Parker stressed.

“I’m proud of Shatalya and excited to see both of us shine. We push and inspire each other every day at practice, and it’s a reminder of the strength and talent we have coming out of the Bahamas.”

Dorsett, on the other hand, is in her sophomore year after completing the previous season at Louisiana Tech. The 18-year-old graduate of Sunland Baptist Academy is coming off her appearance on the Bahamas team that finished second at the 2025 CARIFTA Games in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago over the Easter holiday weekend.

“After competing in the 2025 Carifta Games, my performances at university have been exactly what I expected it to be,” Dorsett said.

“At every meet I’ve competed in since CARIFTA, my times have improved a lot.”

Having Parker as a teammate has also made a vast difference in her performance.

“Her experience and achievements motivate me to strive for the best in my performance and approach training with greater discipline,” Parker stressed.

Going into the rest of the season, Dorsett said she plans to maintain consistency in her performances.

“I believe that with the right mindset and training I can achieve more personal bests and continue to contribute to the team’s success in upcoming meets,” she projected. 

Neville is of the opinion that the Bahamian connection has extremely bright futures ahead of them and they can go as far as they want in this sport. 

“I definitely think that they both have the potential this year to run 11.2 and I think we could see them break 23,” said Neville as the duo prepared for the rest of the season.

They are currently preparing for the NCAA East Regional Championships in Jacksonville, Florida over the weekend of May 29-31 

If they advance, whether individually or on the relay, they will prepare to close out the collegiate season at the NCAA championships in Eugene, Oregon from June 12-14.

“’m sure that following the collegiate season they will look to represent the Bahamas this summer in international competition,” Neville said.

He’s just as eager to see what they do during that period just as much as Parker and Dorsett do.