WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Saint Augustine’s University men continued their dominance at the CIAA Indoor Track & Field Championships on Monday, February 16, 2015.
The Falcons scored 164 points to claim their 18th straight men’s conference title at the JDL Fast Track. They won by a 68-point margin over second-place finisher Virginia State University, which scored 96 points. Virginia Union University, who led on the first day Sunday, was third with 93 points.
“It is all about tradition,” said Legendary Head Coach George Williams, who has guided the Falcons and Lady Falcons to 35 NCAA Division II indoor and outdoor titles combined. “The kids believed and performed to the best of their ability. It led to another championship.
“I liked the performances off all the teams in the conference. The kids are getting better. I would like to take my hat off to all the coaches in the CIAA.”
The Lady Falcons also took a trophy home as they finished second with 94.4 points in the women’s division. Winston-Salem State University won the women’s title with 140 points and Johnson C. Smith University placed third with 58.2 points.
This is the third time in 19 indoor championship meets that a team other the Lady Falcons won the title. The Lady Falcons were the two-time defending champions.
“The women fought,” Williams said. “They stepped up. I am really pleased about what they did. The team is young. There were five or six freshmen out there. They are going to improve.”
Immanuel Hutchinson (Jr./San Jacinto, CA) of the Falcons was named Men’s Track Most Valuable Performer. He won two events (the 800 meter run, the one-mile run) and ran on the victorious 4×400 meter relay team. On Friday, Hutchison won the 5000 meter run, giving him three individual victories at the championship meet.
David Shaw (Sr./Red Springs, NC) of the Falcons was selected Men’s Field MVP. He won the triple jump on Saturday and finished second in the long jump Friday.
Hutchinson and Shaw led an impressive group of Falcons’ men who scored 135 points after starting the day in second place. Overall, two or more Falcons finished among the top six in eight events.
Omar Johnson (Jr./Jamaica) crossed the finish line first in the 400 meter run. Khari Herbert (So./Coral Springs, FL) was second and Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (Jr./Raleigh, NC) was fifth.
Daniel Jamieson (Jr./Windsor, CT) captured first in the 200 meter dash. Ellis, Jr. was second and Taffawee Johnson (Sr./St. Ann, Jamaica) placed sixth. On Friday, JaQuan Demiel (Sr./Suffolk, VA) won the long jump and Shaw was second.
Markivous Brown (Fr./West Palm Beach, FL) was second and Shaw placed third in the 60 meter hurdles while Jamieson was second, Taffawee Johnson fourth and Claytin Lewis (Jr./Raleigh, NC) sixth in the 60 meter dash.
In the high jump, Kirvano Handfield was second and Alex Louden (Sr./Zebulon, NC) tied for third. Jalen Robinson-McCoy (Jr./Mitchellville, MD) placed third in the 800 meter run event that Hutchinson won, and Demiel finished sixth in the triple jump event that Shaw won.
The men’s 4×400 meter relay team capped the day by outrunning their competitors for the victory. The squad consisted of Ellis, Jr., Herbert, Hutchinson and Jamieson. Aason Pankey was the Heptathlon winner.
In the women’s events, three Lady Falcons were individual winners. Shamia Lassiter (Jr./Chesapeake, VA) won the 60 meter hurdles and Shakera Hall was first in the Pentathlon. Lassiter was second in the Pentathlon and Hall was third in the 60 meter hurdles.
On Friday, Shakinah Brooks (So./Raleigh, NC) won the long jump. Lassiter was third and Amenze Uhunmwangho (Fr./New Jersey) was fourth.
On Saturday, Ornella Livingston (Jr./Christiana, Jamaica) was third and Brooks fifth in the 60 meter dash. Livingston also finished third in the 200 meter dash and Samantha Woodburn (Jr./St. Catherine, Jamaica) was sixth. Tia-Adana Belle (So./St. George, Barbados) placed third in the 400 meter run.
Fanta Fofana (Sr./Amiens, France) was fifth in the 3000 meter run and one-mile run while placing sixth in the 800 meter run. The 4×400 meter relay team of Woodburn, Livingston, Leah Barker (Fr./St. Michaels, Barbados) and Belle was third. On Friday, the women’s distance medley team including Cherrisse Lynch (Sr./Bridgetown, Barbados), Barker, Mylene Cannon (So./Dallas, TX) and Fofana was fifth.
— Sports Information Office
