Cross Country | 5/21/2015 5:42:00 PM
ALLENDALE, Mich. – ACU track and field all-time great Nicodemus Naimadu was one of four former student-athletes inducted Wednesday evening into the NCAA Division II Track and Field Hall of Fame during ceremonies prior to the first day of the outdoor track and field championship meet.
Joining Naimadu in the Hall of Fame class were Duane Chappell (Lewis), Nicholas Lara (Adams State) and Mandi Zemba (Grand Valley State).
Naimadu – who was joined at the ceremony by his former head coach at ACU, Derek Hood – graduated from Abilene Christian 2007 and is the only man in NCAA Division II history to win four cross country national titles, in addition to nine on the track. He earned All-American honors four times in cross country, eight times indoors and six times outdoors.
No other man in DII history has won more than two cross country titles, a total Naimadu doubled with wins in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. He followed the first three titles with indoor crowns at 5000 meters in 2005 (13:59.64), 2006 (14:07.55) and 2007 (14:02.87). He also ran a leg of the winning distance medley relay in 2005.
Outdoors he won five titles, including 3000-meter steeplechase/5000-meter doubles in 2005 (8:46.71/13:59.67) and 2006 (8:59.90/14:47.90), before focusing on the steeple 2007 for a t hen-meet record 8:36.84.
