By Jared Fields, Editor in Chief
Last weekend’s Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., helped fill out the qualifiers’ head coach Don Hood would like to see next month at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships in
Mankato, Minn.
“We did just about everything we needed to last weekend,” Hood said. “Ninety percent are in right now.”
Hood said he would like to get a few more athletes qualified for the national meet at this weekend’s meets in Oklahoma and Nebraska. Whether or not Hood’s remaining 10 percent qualify this weekend, Hood said the team won’t worry, and they’ve had their share of opportunities.
“You gotta believe the best is going to happen,” Hood said. “Anything beyond this point is just bonus as far as I’m concerned.”
One of the highlights from the weekend came from the men’s and women’s 4×400-meter relay teams. Each posted the top time in Division II with the men running 3:13.14 and the women posting a 3:41.44.
Ramon Sparks jumped to his capabilities in Arkansas, qualifying for the long and triple jump. His long jump of 24-7.00 ranks him second in the nation and his triple jump of 48-7.50 ranks sixth.
Sparks said he built his confidence up, which allowed him to relax at the meet and perform to his potential.
“It makes a really, really big difference,” Sparks said. “I’m getting more relaxed because I’d be so uptight sometimes in track meets that I’d be unable to do well.”
Teammates Davy Manga and Gerald Chenyi also posted triple jump qualifying marks in Arkansas. Manga, last year’s outdoor national champion, jumped 51-10.50 to currently rank him second in the nation, and Chenyi jumped 49-3.50.
In the women’s 800-meters, Mary Mwangi and Venessa Whittle posted qualifying times that rank them sixth and ninth in the nation, respectively. Azraa Rounds and Keva Wilkins ran times in the quarter to rank them third and fourth in the nation, respectively.
Hood took his athletes to Arkansas last weekend with a focus on the athletes’ primary events. This week, however, Hood said he will place some focus on secondary events.
“We’ll hold a few people out that we know are set,” Hood said. “We also figured out that there are some guys who aren’t getting in individually but are on a relay team so we’re resting them.”
The events Hood will keep his eye on to gain some qualifiers will be in the pole vault and the women’s distance medley relay.
The DMR currently ranks 12th in the nation but has not competed since early in the season.
The men’s pole vaulters have two athletes solidly qualified with another close. However, the women’s vaulters currently have three athletes provisionally qualified, but the closest one ranks 17th in the nation. Hood said they are improving, but the weekend will tell if any improve enough to better their chance at making the trip to Mankato, Minn.
Although the indoor championships aren’t until March 14, Hood said this weekend would probably be the final weekend of competition before then.
