By Chandler Harris, Assistant Sports Editor
Camille Vandendriessche, heptathlon, and Andrew McDowell, 60-meter hurdles, won their respective national title at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 13-14. The men’s team placed third, and the women’s team placed eighth in the overall competition.
“If you look at the competition from an individual athlete’s perspective, it’s a mixed bag,” head track and field coach Don Hood said. “Some of the athletes overachieved, and others were disappointed. I thought we gave great effort, and I was really pleased. If the effort is there, then the performances will come.”
Vandendriessche, who is the two-time defending outdoor champion in the decathlon, won the heptathlon and became the first male athlete to win a multi-event competition at an indoor championship meet.
Vandendriessche began day two of the competition with a third place finish in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.60. Hood said Vandendriessche’s first day was very average, but the key was for him to not mess up enough to the point where he could not recover.
“Camille was a little bit frustrated because he didn’t perform his best the first day but he realized he was only 80 points behind and he figured with his second day strength that he would have what it takes to come back,” Hood said.
Vandendriessche did just that during the pole vault event. He vaulted a personal best 16 feet, 8.75 inches to score 941 points and take the lead. His vault was one foot, 3.75 inches better than the runner-up in the event.
“He just crushed everyone in the pole vault,” Hood said. “He worked so hard to do well in the vault. Once the pole vault was over, everyone was just concerned as to who would finish in second place.”
Vandendriessche finished off his victory, placing fourth in the 1,000-meter run with a time of 2:50.33, enough to win by 201 points.
McDowell also put on a stellar performance to claim the title in the 60-meter hurdles. McDowell ranked first after the prelims, running an 8.00. In the finals, he ran a personal best and school record 7.92 to capture the national title.
“Andrew crushed everyone from the start,” Hood said. “He cleared the first hurdle and was a step ahead, and it was just a matter of crossing the finish line.”
Hood said McDowell worked extremely hard in the weight room, and Coach Brown did a great job of preparing him for this event.
“He has a confidence about him to where he won’t beat himself; someone has to outperform him,” Hood said.
Hood also was pleased with the performance of Cory Altenberg, who finished fourth in the pole vault with a jump of 16-6.75. Gerald Chenyi and Ramon Sparks finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in the triple jump. Julius Nyango finished third in the mile and the 800.
“This was Julius’ last time to compete for us, and he will be sorely missed,” Hood said.
Nick Jones placed seventh in the shot put, and Ramon Radway finished second in the 400-meter with a personal best time of 47.70. Amos Sang also ran a personal best in the 5,000-meter, placing fifth in 14:20.46. The 4-by-400-meter relay team, consisting of Jordan Johnson, Desmond Jackson, Harold Jackson and Radway placed second with a time of 3:14.88.
Overall, St. Augustine College placed first with 105 points. The Wildcats combined for 62 points to claim third.
The women’s team finished with 21 overall points for eighth place; Lincoln won the competition with 100.5 points.
Kim Prather finished fourth in the 400-meter (56.14) and fifth in the 200-meter (24.61) and bettered her times from 2008.
“Kim ran her heart out and ran well,” Hood said. “She knocked around a little bit in the 400, or I think she would have won.”
Wanda Hutson came into the meet nursing a strained hamstring, but still competed and finished eighth in the 60-meter.
“To Wanda’s credit, she came out and still scored,” Hood said. “I think she finished the meet feeling very good about where she is now.”
Kelli Clements finished third in the shot put with a throw of 46 feet, 8.75 inches.
“This was bittersweet for Kelli,” Hood said. “She had her sights set so high that anything less than winning would have upset her.”
The women’s 4-by-400-meter relay team of Prather, Hutson, Destinee Nixon and Azraa Rounds finished fourth running the event in 3 minutes, 51.07 seconds.
The Wildcats now turn their attention to the outdoor track season and will compete at the Dr. Pepper Invitational in Waco on Saturday.
