Sparked by an outstanding performance at the Florida Relays this past weekend, two-time defending champion Saint Augustine’s University has moved to the top spot
in the NCAA Division II Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Rankings, which was released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Tuesday, April 7, 2015. Saint Augustine’s University is ranked fifth in the NCAA Division II Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Rankings.
The SAU men’s and women’s teams combined to post three automatic qualifying times and nine provisional qualifying times for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which will be held in Allendale, Mich., on May 21-23. They also posted 15 season-best times and marks at the Florida Relays, including 11 for the SAU men’s team which pushed the Falcons to the top of the men’s national rankings.
The Falcons, ranked ninth last week, are followed by Angelo State in second and Adams State in third in the men’s rankings. Central Missouri is atop the women’s rankings followed by Azusa Pacific in second and Angelo State in third.
Individually, Omar Johnson (Jr./St. Ann, Jamaica) and Immanuel Hutchinson (Jr./San Jacinto, CA) of the Falcons are ranked first in their respective events after running stellar times at the Florida Relays. Johnson is the 400 meter dash Division II national leader with a provisional time of 46.85 seconds. Hutchinson is the fastest 800 meter runner in Division II with an automatic qualifying time of 1:48.39.
Johnson and Hutchinson are also members of the men’s 4×400 meter relay team, which is ranked first nationally in Division II for the second straight week after running an automatic qualifying time of 3:06.73 at the Florida Relays. The other members are Khari Herbert, Jr. (So./Coral Springs, FL) and Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (Jr./Raleigh, NC).
Tia-Adana Belle (So./St. George, Barbados) of the Lady Falcons is the nation’s top-ranked women’s 400 meter hurdler in Division II for the second consecutive week after a terrific showing at the Florida Relays. She ran an automatic qualifying time of 58.01 seconds in the event.
Below is the list of Falcons and Lady Falcons ranked among the top 10 competitors in their respective track & field events in Division II. Go to ustfccca.org for the entire team and individual rankings.
