By Steve Holt, Sports Writer
Both the men’s and women’s track and field teams picked up second-place trophies at the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships on March 10-11 in Boston. The men’s team scored 55 points, behind a dominant performance from St. Augustine’s, which scored 66.5 points. The Wildcat women, who compiled 50.3 points, were second behind a dominant Lincoln College (87), edging out third-place finisher St. Augustine’s by 1.3 points.
In usual fashion, sophomore Nicodemus Naimadu led the way for the men’s team, winning a national title in one event and placing second in another. Naimadu eased to the win in the 5,000-meter run, finishing in 14 minutes, 7.55 seconds. The Kenyan has now won the last three Division II titles in that event, establishing himself as one of the most dominant distance runners in collegiate track and field.
“No one could stay near him,” head coach Don Hood said of Naimadu’s championship run. “To race all that he did in two days and still be able to run away from the field was very impressive.”
Nicodemus also placed second in the mile, finishing just behind Adams State’s Aucencio Martinez in 4:07.77.
Hood said Naimadu, who is not known for great speed in the mile run, took the pace out fast in the beginning, draining much of the competition of its energy.
“Nicodemus stood out above the rest,” Hood said. “He was a real warrior for us.”
Another key factor in the ACU men’s second-place finish was the performance of the 4×400-meter relay team, which placed second with a time of 3:12.59. The relay team – comprised of Montez Pride, Jordan Johnson, Elton Garus-Oab and Delt Cockrell – was barely edged out by St. Augustine’s, which finished in 3:12.26.
The ACU men also managed a runner-up position in the distance medley relay, finishing just behind Adams State in 9:51.33. Jumpers Yevgen Pashchenko and Vladyslav Gorbenko also met expectations. Pashchenko, a senior, placed second in the triple jump with a leap of 51-7 3/4, while junior Gorbenko placed third in 51-7 1/4. Pashchenko also placed sixth in the long jump with a distance of 24-0 1/4.
“Vlad and Yevgen came up with big points for us at a critical time,” Hood said.
Other finishers on the men’s side included Marvin Bien-Aime, who finished eighth in the 200-meter dash in 21.77, and Pride, who was sixth in the 400-meter dash in 48.26.
Bien-Aime placed eighth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.77, while senior Montez Pride was sixth in the 400-meter dash in 48.26.
Junior Angie Aguilar led the women’s team, winning her first national championship in the pole vault. Aguilar won the competition easily, tying a season-best clearance of 12-11 1/2 before missing 13-1, which would have been a national indoor record.
“She had some trouble at her second height, but she made the right adjustments and came through like a champion does,” Hood said. “She had a couple of close attempts at the record height, but I think the emotion of the meet had worn her out.”
Freshman Jessica Withrow jumpstarted Friday’s competition with a second-place tie and personal best in the high jump, clearing 5-7 3/4.
“She got everyone’s motor running and led to a great first day of qualifying,” Hood said.
Hood knew he would need big points from his middle-distance tandem of Olha Kryv’yak and Trina Cox, and they did not disappoint. Cox and Kryv’yak placed sixth and seventh in the mile, respectively, with times of 4:49.9 and 4:52.06. But the most impressive performance from the duo was a fourth- and fifth-place finish in the 5,000-meter run. Kryv’yak placed fourth in the event with a time of 16:44.8, followed by Cox in 16:48.49.
“Ohla and Trina battled for every point they could earn,” Hood said. “They put in a lot of effort for the team and were a huge part of our finishing place.”
Kryv’yak and Cox also were key contributors to the performance of the women’s distance medley relay team, which placed third in 11:42.86. Kryv’yak ran a leg of 1200 meters, followed by Keva Wilkins in a 400-meter leg, followed by Denise Morgan in an 800-meter leg, and concluding with Cox in a mile leg.
Wilkins, a sophomore, had an impressive performance in the open 400-meter dash as well, placing fourth in 55.33. Other finishers for the women included junior Jessica Hunt, who placed eighth in the 200-meter dash in 25.06; sophomore Shawna-Kaye Thompson, who placed ninth in the 60-meter hurdles in 8.85; and the 4×400-meter relay team, which placed third in 3:45.14.
Hood said that though he was pleased with runner-up finishes, his teams a lesson away from the indoor national meet as it goes into the outdoor season.
“I think both teams realize that we are capable of winning outdoors, but you don’t win championships with sixth-, seventh- and eighth-place finishes,” Hood said. “We have to have some people get a little better and be a little more competitive to be able to pull it off in May. I hope that the motivation of being champions and the sting of being so close indoors is motivation enough to make that happen.”
Going Outdoors
The track and field teams will have their first chance to qualify for the outdoor national meet against Division I and II competition at Saturday’s Baylor Dr. Pepper Open in Waco. The meet, which will begin with field events at 9 a.m. and continue with running events at noon, will pit ACU against the Division I powerhouse Baylor Bears, along with TCU, Stephen F. Austin, North Texas, Trinity, UT-Arlington, and conference rivals Angelo State and Tarlton State.
In total, ACU athletes will have up to ten chances to qualify for the NCAA Division II National Outdoor Championships, which will take place May 25-27 in Emporia, Kan.
