TRACK AND FIELD

Writer: Anthony Jeffries, Sports Information Director
Phone: (919) 516-4141
Fax: (919) 516-5810

January | February

January

January 8, 2010

Pierre Sets Unofficial National Record In 60 Dash At Tar Heel Invitational

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Barbara Pierre (Sr./Winter Haven, Fla.) set an unofficial national record in the women’s 60-meter dash Friday (Jan. 8) at the Eddie & Jo Smith Jr. Tar Heel Invitational indoor track and field meet on the University of North Carolina campus.

Pierre outraced her competitors Friday at the Eddie Smith Fieldhouse in a time of 7.25 seconds, bettering her Division II national record of 7.27 seconds which Pierre set March 2009 at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships. Friday’s mark is not considered a Division II national record, however. According to the NCAA rules, the NCAA regionals and championships records are the only records maintained by the NCAA. Though Friday’s time does not count as a national record, Pierre did run a personal best and won the race in an NCAA automatic qualifying time, which was faster than the time of 7.53 posted by second-place finisher Tyler Ford of the University of North Carolina.

In the men’s 60-meter dash, Ramon Gittens (Jr./St. Thomas, Barbados) of the Falcons outran the field in 6.77 seconds to gain the victory. His closest challenger finished in 6.80 seconds. Other winners for the Falcons were Chayce Smith (Jr./Devonshire, Bermuda) in the men’s one-mile run (4:23.07), and the men’s 4x400 relay team (3:18.31) consisting of Josh Scott (Jr./Winter Haven, Fla.), Richard Boone (Sr./Petersburg, Va.), Jason Boyd (Soph./Waycross, Ga.), and Antonio Abney (Jr./Palmyra, N.J.).

Abney also finished third in the men’s 400 dash (50.26); and Boyd was third in the men’s 60 hurdles (8.20). Kyra Mobley (Sr./Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) placed third in the women’s 800 run (2:25.72), and the women’s 4x400 relay team of Sheena Johns (Jr./Dover, Del.), Jasmin Peterson-Hassan (Fr./Landover Hills, Md.), Mobley and Pierre placed third (3:55.29). In field events, Christopher Copeland (Soph./Suffolk, Va.) was second (2.04 meters) and Orolando Duffus (Jr./St. Catherine, Jamaica) was third (2.04 meters) in the men’s high jump.

The Falcons and Lady Falcons are scheduled to compete again in the University of Maryland Invitational in Landover, Md., on Jan. 16.

February

February 10, 2010

Falcons Stay Atop National D-II Track Rankings

Saint Augustine’s College remains No. 1 for the second consecutive week in the NCAA Division II national indoor men’s track and field rankings, announced by U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The Falcons, who are the defending Division II national indoor champions, are also ranked first in the Atlantic Region men’s standings. In the women’s standings, the Lady Falcons are ranked seventh in the nation and second in the Atlantic Region.

The Falcons and Lady Falcons are set to defend their conference titles on Saturday (Feb. 13) at the CIAA Indoor Championships. The event will be held at the Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton, Va.

Under acclaimed head coach George Williams, the Falcons and Lady Falcons have won a combined 30 indoor and outdoor Division II national championships.

February 13, 2010

ST. AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE MEN AND WOMEN REPEAT AS CIAA INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONS

HAMPTON, VA – Saint Augustine’s College swept the 2010 CIAA Indoor Track and Field Championship titles Saturday (Feb. 13) at the Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton, VA. In school history, today’s victories marked the 25th CIAA Indoor title for the SAC men and the 16th CIAA Indoor title for the SAC women. In the men’s standings, the Falcons cruised easily to victory posting 168 points, followed by Bowie State (94), Virginia Union (43), Johnson C. Smith (41), Saint Paul’s (32), Virginia State (32) and Livingstone (1). SAC’s men took first place finishes in the 60 meter dash (Ramon Gittens), 200 meter dash (Antonio Abney), 400 meter dash (Josh Scott), 1 mile run (George Smith), triple jump (Brandon Quarles), 4x400 meter relay and the distance medley. Other top finishers in the men’s competition include VUU’s Geoffrey Langat (5,000 meter run), VUU’s Melvin Edison (60 meter hurdles), SPC’s Maurice Hall (men’s high jump), SPC’s Fred Boone (pole vault), BSU’s William Bailey (long jump) and JCSU’s Julius Wright (shot put). In the women’s events, the Lady Falcons were in a class by themselves posting a total of 124 points, followed by followed by Johnson C. Smith (87), Bowie State (78), Virginia State (44), Virginia Union (18), Livingstone (12) and Saint Paul’s (3). SAC’s women took first place finishes in the 60 meter dash (Barbara Pierre), 200 meter dash (Barbara Pierre), 400 meter dash (Angelique Smith), 800 meter run (Kyra Mobley), high jump (Andrea Powell), triple jump (Kirsten Fields), 4x400 meter relay and the distance medley. Other top finishers in the women’s events include BSU’s Shamika Patton (1 mile run), JCSU’s Shermaine Williams (60 meter hurdles), VSU’s Dominique King (long jump) and BSU’s Lakeshia Carney (shot put). Saint Augustine College’s George Smith earned MVP honors for the running events on the men’s side of the competition, accounting for 22.50 total points. Co-MVP awards were given for the field events to VSU’s Brandon Quarles and Sean Johnson who each earned 14 points respectively. On the women’s side, Shermaine Williams (JCSU) landed MVP honors for the running events, posting 27 points. For the field events, Andrea Powell took top honors with 18 points. The NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field meet is set for March 12-13 in Albuquerque, NM.