February 2016, Top story

SAU ranked second nationally

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One day after winning their 19th straight CIAA championship, the Saint Augustine’s University men moved up two spots to No. 2 in the latest NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field National Computer Rankings, which were released by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016. The Saint Augustine’s University women are ninth nationally after finishing third in the CIAA meet.

Adams State University is the only team ranked ahead of Saint Augustine’s University in the men’s rankings. Adams State and Saint Augustine’s University have won the last three NCAA men’s indoor championships with the Falcons taking the crown in 2013 and 2014.

The Falcons climbed up the rankings after an impressive performance at the CIAA Indoor Championships, which were held Sunday, Feb. 14, and Monday, Feb. 15, in Winston-Salem, N.C. They won every running event Monday to outdistance Virginia Union University 173-107 for the men’s title.

The Falcons recorded 10 season-best times and distances at the CIAA Championships. Six of those times and distances were top-10 national performances.

Leading the way for the men is Immanuel Hutchinson (Sr./San Jacinto, CA), who was named CIAA Track MVP on Monday. Hutchinson moved to No. 2 on the men’s 800-meter list after posting an NCAA automatic qualifying time of 1:49.18 in the preliminaries at the championship meet. His time set a CIAA indoor record in the event, and he finished second in the 800 finals while winning the 5000-meter and one-mile runs.

Daniel Jamieson (Sr./Windsor, CT) is No. 2 in the 200-meter dash after running an automatic time of 21.12 seconds to win the event Monday. He was one of four Falcons who scored points in the 200. Khari Herbert, Jr. (Jr./Coral Springs, FL) is ranked second in the 400-meter dash after posting an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 47.48 seconds to win the race Monday.

Jumonne Exeter (So./St. Vincent) is No. 2 in the triple jump rankings after winning the event Monday with a provisional leap of 50-6¾. Shaquille Dill (Fr./Pembroke, Bermuda) is No. 6 after running a provisional time of 1:49.91 in the 800-meter preliminaries. His time also broke the old CIAA mark, and he won the 800 finals. Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (Sr./Raleigh, NC) ran a provisional time of 21.36 in the 200-meter finals to finish third and earn a No. 6 national ranking in the event.

The Lady Falcons also performed well at the CIAA Championships, posting two provisional times which earned top-10 national individual rankings. Ornella Livingston (Jr./St. Ann, Jamaica) is ranked ninth in the 200 after winning the event in 24.43 Monday. The 4×400 relay squad of Livingston, Mylene Cannon (Jr./Dallas, TX), Ade Hunter (Soph./Philadelphia, PA) and Tia-Adana Belle (Jr./St. George, Barbados) is ranked No. 5 after placing second in the CIAA meet in 3:46.27.

WOMEN

(Name, Ranking, Event, Result)

Shakinah Brooks – 2nd – Long Jump (20-5¼)

Ornella Livingston – 3rd – 60-Meter Dash (7.45)

Amenze Uhunmwangho – 5th – Long Jump (19-6¾)

Ade Hunter, Ornella Livingston, Mylene Cannon, Tia-Adana Belle – 5th – 4×400-Meter Relay (3:46.27)

Tia-Adana Belle – 6th – 60-Meter Hurdles (8.55)

Ornella Livingston – 9th – 200-Meter Dash (24.43)

Shamia Lassiter – 9th – 60-Meter Hurdles (8.57)

MEN

(Name, Ranking, Event, Result)

Khari Herbert, Jr., Omar Johnson, Burkheart Ellis, Jr., Shaquille Dill – 1st – 4×400-Meter Relay (3:11.74)

Jumonne Exeter – 2nd – Triple Jump (50-6¾)

Khari Herbert, Jr. – 2nd – 400-Meter Dash (47.48)

Immanuel Hutchinson – 2nd – 800-Meter Run (1:49.18)

Daniel Jamieson – 2nd – 200-Meter Dash (21.12)

Omar Johnson – 3rd – 400-Meter Dash (47.56)

Daniel Jamieson – 4th – 60-Meter Dash (6.73)

Burkheart Ellis, Jr. – 6th – 200-Meter Dash (21.36)

Shaquille Dill – 6th – 800-Meter Dash (1:49.91)