ABILENE – Nine members of Abilene Christian's decorated men's and women's track and field program are heading to Birmingham, Ala., this week for the
NCAA Division II Indoor Championships.
Events begin Thursday night with the women's weight throw and continue through Saturday evening with the running of the men's 4x400-meter relay.
Prime Time Timing will be providing live results, while
Flotrack.org and
NCAA.com will be offering results, videos and interviews.
The Gulf South Conference and the City of Birmingham, Ala. are the proud hosts of this year's national meet, which will take place at The Birmingham CrossPlex March 7 to 9.
ACU's men's program has won 13 indoor titles, with its most recent coming in 2011 when the 'Fab Four' of seniors Amos Sang, Desmond Jackson and Ramon Sparks and redshirt junior
Nick Jones scored 49 points to beat Ashland's 22-man roster by seven points.
This year, three student-athletes will represent the No. 23 men's team: sprinters Johnathan Farquharson and Jordan Geary and weight thrower Baptiste Kerjean. Farquharson, a freshman, will be featured in the 60m and 200m, while Geary, a senior, will compete exclusively in the 200m.
ACU's women's program dominated the indoor championship from the late 1980's straight through the 1990's with its last championship coming in 2000. Since then, however, the Wildcats have had to settle for several runner-up showing as Grand Valley State, Lincoln and Saint Augustine's have combined to win nine of the last 10 team titles.
This year's Wildcats have eighth-most entries of any program with eight and could very well challenge for a spot on the medal stand if each student-athlete performs above their current ranking.
Ninth-ranked ACU will be represented in the sprints by all-America Shennae Steele (200m) as well as 2012 London Olympians Elea Diarra (400m) and Reyare Thomas (60m, 200m). The Wildcats also will have additional scoring threats positioned in the mid-distance races with Ayesha Rumble (800m) and Chloe Susset (mile).
Steele, Thomas, Rumble and Diarra will comprise the seventh-seeded 4x400m-relay, while in the field events, senior Amanda Ouedraogo will defend her 2012 indoor championship in the triple jump.
Complete profiles for all of this weekend's participants are listed below in alphabetical order.
Elea Diarra, So. (Lyon, France)
2013 Events (D-II Ranking/Mark): 400m (6th/54.46), 4x400m relay (9th/3:45.41)
All-America Titles: None
Season Highlights: All-region and all-conference honoree … Scored 18.5 points at conference meet … Lone Star Conference champion in the 400m (55.47) and with the 4x400m relay (3:45.41) … Placed third in the 200m at conference with a season-best time of 24.75 … Won 400m titles at the Masked Rider Open (55.73) and the New Mexico Collegiate Invitational with a NCAA automatic qualifying mark of 54.94 seconds … Recorded a personal best of 54.46 in the 400m to finish second at the Don Kirby Open … Competed in the 400m and 4x400m relay at the Armory Collegiate Invitational.
Career Highlights: Member of French team at 2012 Olympic Games in London … Represented her country at European championships and European junior championships … Ran 52.58 for 400m to rank 147th on 2012 IAAF world list.
Johnathan Farquharson, Fr. (Freeport, Bahamas)
2013 Events (D-II Ranking/Mark): 60m (6th/6.77), 200m (10th/21.47)
All-America Titles: None
Season/Career Highlights: All-region and all-conference honoree … Scored the most individual points at the inaugural LSC Indoor Championships with 26.5 … Won the 55m (6.32), placed second to teammate Jordan Geary in the 200m (21.40), ran third leg for first place 4x400m relay (3:15.62) and placed third in long jump season debut (23-01.75/7.05m) … Season bests included a 6.75 in 60m and 21.40 in 200m … Won the 55m at Texas Tech's Masked Rider Open with season best of 6.30 … Ran a 10.47 and 21.48 last March in Nassau.
Jordan Geary, Sr. (Fort Worth, Texas)
2013 Events (D-II Ranking/Mark): 200m (4
th/21.32)
All-America Titles: 2 – 2012 outdoor 4x100m relay [2
nd]; 2011 outdoor 4x100m relay [2
nd]
Season Highlights: All-region and all-conference honoree … Scored 22.5 points at inaugural Lone Star Conference indoor track and field championship and received share of its Outstanding Male Track Athlete award with Isaiah Samoei of Eastern New Mexico … Won the LSC 200m and 400m titles with times of 21.25 and 48.22, and ran anchor for the victorious 4x400m relay (3:15.62), which clinched the team championship for ACU … Was also part of a 4x400m that placed second at the New Mexico Invitational (3:17.94) and won at the Don Kirby Open (3:20.09).
Career Highlights: Two-time all-America on two runner-up 4x100-meter relays in 2011 and 2012 … Anchored last year's NCAA relay, which posted season's best times of 40.08 during prelims and 40.31 for runner-up status ... Started 4x100 relay team that was runner-up at 2011 NCAA meet (40.18) … Qualified for last year's NCAA outdoor meet in the 200m (21.33) and 400m (47.28) … Five-time Lone Star Conference Champion … Earned the most all-region citations of any ACU student-athlete last outdoor season with four as he was honored in the 200m, 400m and on both the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.
Baptiste Kerjean, Sr. (St. Brieuc, France)
2013 Events (D-II Ranking/Mark): Weight Throw (10th/60-06.50)
All-America Titles: 1 – 2012 hammer [3
rd]
Season Highlights: All-region and all-conference honoree … Won weight throw at Lone Star Conference Championships with distance of 60-02.50 (18.35m) … Recorded season best of 60-06.50 to finish second at Red Raider Open … Won weight throw titles at Masked Rider and Texas Tech Opens.
Career Highlights: Place third at 2012 NCAA outdoors in hammer with season-best of 210-9 (64.25m) … 2012 Lone Star Conference Champion in hammer with 205-5 (62.63m) for meet record and first 200-foot throw in 78-year history of LSC meet … Member of France's 2007 team for World Junior Championships … Came to ACU with best marks of 216-10 (66.11m) in junior 6kg (13.23lb) hammer throw and 227-0 (69.20m) in 5kg (11.03lb) hammer … Threw 202-7 (61.74m) with 16lb international-college implement … First indoor collegiate season included best of 54-4 (16.57) for runner-up in weight throw at LSC invitational.
Amanda Ouedraogo, Sr. (Hauts de Seine, France)
2013 Events (D-II Ranking/Mark): Triple Jump (1st/43-00.50)
All-America Titles: 4 – 2012 indoor triple jump [1
st]; 2012 outdoor triple jump [2
nd]; 2011 indoor and outdoor triple jump [2
nd]
Season Highlights: All-region and all-conference honoree … Scored 16 points at conference meet and was named its Outstanding Female Field Athlete … Winner of three indoor triple jump titles, the last of which won her a third conference championship and set a new school record of 43 feet-.50 inches (13.12m) … Triple jump runner-up at the Armory Collegiate Invitational and New Mexico Invitational … All five of her triple jumps were above the NCAA automatic qualifying distance of 40-feet (12.19m) … Placed third in the long jump (18-02.50/5.55m) at conference … Season best long jump is a distance of 18-08.50 (5.70m).
Career Highlights: 2012 NCAA indoor triple jump champion … Three-time Lone Star Conference triple jump champion … Two-time national outdoor runner-up … 2011 indoor triple jump runner-up … School record holder in the indoor triple jump (43-00.50/13.12m) … Ranks second at ACU in outdoor triple jump with distance of 42-05.50 (12.94m).
Ayesha Rumble, Sr. (Pickering, Ontario)
2013 Events (D-II Ranking/Mark): 800m (12th/2:12.71), 4x400m relay (9th/3:45.41)
All-America Titles: 3 – 2012 indoor 4x400-meter relay [7
th]; 2012 outdoor 800m [4
th]; 2012 outdoor 4x400-meter relay [5
th]
Season Highlights: All-region and all-conference … Scored 11.5 points at the Lone Star Conference Championships … Won conference title with 4x400m relay (3:45.41) and was second in the 800m behind a season best of 2:12.71 … Ran second leg and finished fourth at LSC with distance medley relay (12:41.51) … 800m runner-up at New Mexico Invitational (2:16.15).
Career Highlights: Three-time all-America in 2012, her first year at ACU … Placed fourth in outdoors 800m in 2:12.65 … Part of indoor 4x400m relay that placed seventh in 3:50.06, and member of outdoor 4x400m squad that place fifth in 3:44.06 … Ran a season-best outdoor 800m time of 2:10.95 during NCAA prelims … Outdoor 800m runner-up at 2012 Lone Star Conference Championships (2:11.54) … 2012 LSC Champion with 4x400m relay team that ran 3:43.88 to win LSC title for first time since 2008 … Indoor 800 champion at 2011 LSC invitational (2:16.01) … Won NJCAA indoor title in 1000m as sophomore in 2011 with a school record time of 2:58.14 … Helped Iowa Central Community College win national team title in 2010 as freshman.
Shennae Steele, Sr. (Kingston, Jamaica)
2013 Events (D-II Ranking/Mark): 200m (18th/24.46), 4x400m relay (9th/3:45.41)
All-America Titles: 3 – 2012 indoor 4x400-meter relay [7
th]; 2012 outdoor 4x400-meter relay [5
th]; 2012 outdoor 4x100-meter relay [4
th]
Season Highlights: All-region and conference honoree … Scored 11.5 points at Lone Star Conference Indoor Championships … Runner-up to teammate Reyare Thomas in 200m (24.53) and was fifth in the 55m (7.23) … Ran first leg of winning LSC 4x400m relay, which finished in 3:45.51 … Season best times include a 7.69 in the 60m and 24.39 in the 200m.
Career Highlights: All-America with 2012 indoor 4x400m (3:50.06) and outdoor 4x100m (45.87) and 4x400m (3:44.06) … 2012 NCAA outdoor participant in the 100m and 200m … Four-time Lone Star Conference Champion … Won the 100m and 200m dashes and with the 4x400m relay in 2012 … Part of winning indoor 4x400m relay this past February … NJCAA qualifier as a freshman and sophomore in sprints and relays while at Iowa Western CC.
Chloe Susset, Sr. (Clery Vexin, France)
2013 Events (D-II Ranking/Mark): Mile (6th/4:53.75)
All-America Titles: None
Season Highlights: All-region selection … Runner-up in mile at Lone Star Conference indoor championships with time of 5:13.72 … Recorded season-best in mile (4:53.75) to finish third at New Mexico Invitational … Also placed third in mile at Masked Rider Open … Claimed 10th place in 3K at Armory Collegiate Invitational and was 14th in this event at conference … Scored points at LSC Indoors as part of fourth-place distance medley relay (12:41.51) … Won 1000m title at Masked Rider Open (3:03.76).
Career Highlights: Two-time NCAA qualifier in the steeplechase … Placed ninth last summer with time of 11:06.91 and was 13th in 2011 with time of 10:55.90 … Five-time Lone Star Conference champion … Has won the last three steeplechase races from 2010-2012 and last two in the 1500m … Received the Wes Kittley Award as Outstanding Female Track Athlete at the 2012 LSC championships, and was co-winner of most points (28) at league meet after double wins in steeplechase (10:44.28) and 1500 (4:36.83), and runner-up showing in the 5K (17:49.58) … Named by coaches association as South Central Region women's Athlete of the Year for cross country in 2011 ... Runner-up at 2011 XC LSC meet in San Angelo, but won at NCAA regional meet in 21:37.
Reyare Thomas, Jr. (Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago)
2013 Events (D-II Ranking/Mark): 60m (5th/7.47), 200m (5th/23.95), 4x400m relay (9th/3:45.41)
All-America Titles: None
Season Highlights: All-region and all-conference honoree … Tied Harding's Ewa Zabrowska for most points scored at the Lone Star Conference Indoor Championships with 22.5 points … Won the 55m title in a season-best 6.96 seconds and the 200m in 23.97 seconds … Ran the second leg for winning 4x400m relay at LSC Indoors (3:45.51) … Recorded three NCAA automatic qualifying times in the 200m, the first of which broke Kim Prather's four-year old school record of 24.26 … Became first Wildcat to run under 24 seconds in 200m with ninth-place time of 23.98 at the Armory Collegiate Invitational … Lowered her school record a week later at the Don Kirby Open with first-place and altitude adjusted time of 23.95 … Won the 200m title at the New Mexico Invitational in 24.16 … Winner of two 60m crowns at the Don Kirby Open and New Mexico Invitationals with times of 7.45 and 7.58.
Career Highlights: Member of Trinidad and Tobago teams for 2012 Olympic Games in London and 2011 IAAF World Championships in Daegu, Korea … Won three NJCAA titles in 2012 as a sophomore at Iowa Central CC … Won 60m indoors in 7.37 and swept the sprints at the NJCAA outdoor meet in 11.30 (0.4) for 100m and 23.67 for 200m … NJCAA outdoor finalist as freshman with 11.36 for runner-up and 23.38 for third … finalist in sprints with 11.38 for fifth in 100m and 23.36 for third in 200m at her country's national championships … Indoors as sophomore ran 6.92 for 55m and 7.37 for 60m … Two-time Kansas Relays champion in 100m with 11.74 as freshman and 11.45 as sophomore.
ACU Men's Schedule of Events
Thursday, March 7
Weight Throw: Baptiste Kerjean –7 p.m.
Friday, March 8
60-meter prelims: Johnathan Farquharson – 4 p.m.
200-meter prelims: Johnathan Farquharson and Jordan Geary – 6:25 p.m.
Saturday, March 9
60-meter finals: Johnathan Farquharson – 3:50 p.m.
200-meter finals: Johnathan Farquharson and Jordan Geary – 5:30 p.m.
ACU Women's Schedule of Events
Friday, March 8
60-meter prelims: Reyare Thomas – 3:45 p.m.
Mile prelims: Chloe Susset – 4:30 p.m.
400-meter prelims: Elea Diarra – 5 p.m.
800-meter prelims: Ayesha Rumble – 5:35 p.m.
200-meter prelims: Reyare Thomas and Shennae Steele – 6:05 p.m.
Saturday, March 9
Triple Jump: Amanda Ouedraogo – 3:30 p.m.
60-meter finals: Reyare Thomas – 3:45 p.m.
Mile finals: Chloe Susset – 4:15 p.m.
400-meter finals: Elea Diarra – 4:35 p.m.
800-meter finals: Ayesha Rumble – 5 p.m.
200-meter finals: Reyare Thomas and Shennae Steele – 5:20 p.m.
4x400-meter relay: Shennae Steele, Reyare Thomas, Ayesha Rumble, Elea Diarra – 6:15 p.m.
