Schedule of Events | Live Stream | Live Results | D-II Meet Records and History
By Garner Roberts
PUEBLO, Colo. – Hammer thrower Baptiste Kerjean and distance runner Chloe Susset, two members of Abilene Christian University's “French connection,” provided the heroics for the Wildcats here Thursday on the opening day of the NCAA Division II outdoor track and field championships.
Kerjean, who was third here last year as a sophomore, was the early leader in the hammer throw with another personal best and ACU record (officially 66.45 meters; 218 feet, 0 inches), but he was surpasxsed in the fourth round by pre-meet favorite Garrett Grey of Ashland.
Susset, a senior who now appears to be ACU's final student-athlete to compete in NCAA Division II before the university's return to Division I in track and field in 2014, qualified for the finals in both the 1,500 meters and the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
In a robust performance here Thursday, she ran 4:33.79 for the fourth best time in the 1,500, then 90 minutes later she ran 11:22.24 for the 11st fastest in the steeplechase (of 12 qualifiers). Susset is a four-time Lone Star Conference steeplechase champion.
She will not have to compete in both finals on the same day, however. The steeplechase final is Friday at 7:15 p.m. MDT, and the 1,500 final is Saturday at 5:35 p.m. MDT.
All other Wildcats who competed in qualifying races here Thursday failed to advance, including both 400-meter relay teams.
Also in Thursday's field event finals, Shalania Lakey was 19th in the women's hammer throw (166-7).
After the first day of the heptathlon, ACU's Cassie Brooks is seventh with 3,057 points in an event led by Jesseka Raymond of the Academy of Art with 3,292 points. In Thursday's four events, Brooks had 14.72 in the 100 hurdles (879 points), 5-4.25 in the high jump (771 points), 38-2.25 in the shot put (637 points) and 26.31 in the 200 meters (770 points).
She is a former Lone Star Conference heptathlon champion.
The Wildcats' non-qualifiers here Thursday included Elea Diarra (54.94) in the women's 400 and Johnathan Farquarshon (10.42) in the men's 100.
In the 400 relay preliminaries, the men ran 42.29 – by far their slowest time of the season – for seventh in their heat, but were later disqualified. The women ran 46.59, but did not advance.
In the men's relay qualifying, St. Augustine's ran 39.01 to erase Abilene Christian's all-time Division II record of 39.20 set in 1984 in a race that featured Wildcat Olympians Mark Witherspoon and Albert Lawrence.
In the men's hammer throw, Kerjean opened with 217-9 (66.39 meters) in the first flight to take a commanding lead. He followed with 218-0 (66.45 to improve on his personal best by one centimeter) before a foul in the third round.
Grey threw 216-10 in round two to advance to the finals, and he grabbed a solid lead with 228-2 in round four and improved to 231-2 on his final attempt to rank third on the NCAA Division II all-time list in the men's hammer throw.
Kerjean failed to improve in the finals with 216-8 in round four, 206-2 in round five and a foul in round six. He is 13th on the NCAA Division II all-time list.
“I wanted to do a personal best,” Baptiste said, “but I'm a little bit disappointed it was only one centimeter. But second place is good. It was a great competition today.
“My first two throws weren't my best technically,” he added, “but I was loose. I couldn't find that on my last three throws. I was too tight. I was thinking about the distance.”
Baptiste plans to compete in the French championships in July before returning to Abilene Christian for the 2013-14 school year for his senior season.
In addition to the second day of the heptathlon (long jump, javelin and 800) for Brooks, Wildcats competing in Friday's finals are Andrew Hudson in the men's discus (ACU's only remaining competitor from the men's team) and co-favorite Amanda Ouedraogo in the women's triple jump.
In Friday's qualifying for women's running events, the Wildcats have Shennae Steele in the 200 meters, Ayesha Rumble in the 800 meters and Lexus Williams in the 100 hurdles. ACU's Ameilia Mitchell will compete in the women's javelin final Saturday so far with only Susset joining her.
ACU Results at NCAA Championships
100 Meter Dash Prelims
15.) Johnathan Farquharson - 10.42 (+1.2w)
400 Meter Dash Prelims
11.) Elea Diarra - 54.94 (PR)
1500 Meter Run Prelims
4.) Chloe Susset - 4:33.79
3000 Meter Steeplechase Prelims
11.) Chloe Susset - 11:22.24
Hammer Throw
2.) Baptiste Kerjean – 218-0/66.45m (PR)
19.) Shalaina Lakey - 166-7/50.77m
4x100 Meter Relay Prelims
11.) ACU 'A' - 46.59
Lexus Williams, Karolyn Palmer, Shennae Steele, Elea Diarra
DQ.) ACU 'A'
Devan Brown, Osei Allyene-Forte, Johnathan Farquharson, Jordan Geary
Heptathlon
7.) Cassie Brooks - 3,057 points
100H: 14.72 (+1.6w) – 11th, 879 pts. | HJ: 5-04.25 (1.63m) – 7th, 771 pts. | SP: 38-02.25 (11.64m) – 5th, 637 pts. | 200m – 26.31 (-0.3w) – 13th, 770 pts.
