Hampton University alumna Kellie Wells won the bronze medal in this afternoon’s 100-meter hurdles final. Wells is the second HBCU graduate to capture an Olympic medal in the London Olympics track and field events, along with Jackson State University’s Michael Tinsley. From her NBCOlympics.com biography:

When it came time for college, Wells opted for Hampton University, a historically black college that lacks the track & field reputation of much larger Division 1 institutions. Wells thrived in that atmosphere, earning NCAA All-America and Academic All-America honors twice while leading Hampton to indoor and outdoor MEAC championships each of her four years. “I went to a smaller school, and we kind of get overlooked at times,” Wells said. “I was always ranked pretty high in the nation. It wasn’t that I wasn’t a permanent fixture as a hurdler, but it was tough going to a smaller school and not the Floridas or the USCs. Even in my class, we had Ginnie Crawford, Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, and Dawn Harper so there were a lot of people to pay attention to.”

Hampton University alumna Kellie Wells ran a seasonal best and third fastest semi-final time of 12.50 in the 100-meter hurdles today, and will run for a gold medal in the event finals at 4:15 this afternoon. Wells will seek to become the second American track and field athlete and HBCU graduate to medal in the London Olympic games, following Jackson State University grad Michael Tinsley’s silver medal performance in the 400-meter hurdles.

Hampton University alumna Kellie Wells posted a 12.69 first-place finish in the women’s 100-meter hurdles this morning, the third fastest time in the event’s opening heats. Wells will be among three Americans competing in tomorrow’s semifinals.

Hampton University alumna Kellie Wells last night placed second in the 100-meter hurdles national final, earning a place on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team.