RALEIGH, N.C. (Feb. 3) – Track and field standout Shannon Kalawan (Jr./Westmoreland, Jamaica) and the men’s 4×400 relay team of Saint Augustine’s University produced the nation’s top Division II times in their respective events this season at the Carolina Challenge indoor meet in Columbia, S.C., on Saturday, Feb. 2. Overall, the Falcons and Lady Falcons posted three NCAA automatic qualifying times, nine provisional times and two victories against 47 other teams including numerous Division I squads.
Kalawan ran an automatic time of 52.71 seconds in the women’s 400 dash to take over the nation’s top DII spot in the event. She is the defending Division II 400 indoor and outdoor national champion and the 2018 NCAA Division II Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year.
Kalawan was part of the women’s 4×400 relay squad which recorded an automatic time of 3:42.01. The 4×400 team includes Amanda Crawford (Jr./Brooklyn, NY), Davia Smith (Jr./Manchester, Jamaica) and Danielle Scantlebury (Fr./St. George, Barbados).
The Falcons’ foursome of Nathan Fergusson (Fr./St. Thomas, Barbados), Jalen Jones (Fr./Raeford, NC), Darren Alfred (Fr./Bethel, Trinidad & Tobago) and Brandon Parris (Sr./St. Vincent) moved to No. 1 in the men’s 4×400 Division II national rankings with an automatic time of 3:09.60. Their time is three seconds lower than the next fastest relay team.
The Falcons’ men claimed seven provisional times and two victories in the meet, which was held at the University of South Carolina Indoor Track and Field Complex. CIAA Men’s Runner of the Week Dontarian Evans (Sr./Gainesville, FL) ran a provisional time of 21.74 in the 200 dash, and the duo of Parris and Jones crossed the finish line in provisional times of 47.78 and 48.08, respectively. Bridges leaped a provisional mark of 23-10¾ in the long jump.
The trio of Bridges, Alazae Hester-Taylor (Sr./Homewood, AL) and Christian Smith (Sr./Atlanta, GA) ran provisional times of 8.11, 8.15 and 8.19, respectively, in the men’s 60 hurdles preliminaries. Bridges won the 60 hurdles final with Hester-Taylor placing second and Smith finishing fifth.
Baron Freeman (Fr./Hampton, VA) was the other men’s winner for the Falcons. He placed first in the 5,000 race.
Among the women, Crawford ran a provisional time of 55.24 in the 400 dash. Scantlebury posted a provisional time of 8.79 in the 60 hurdles.
Below is the list of SAU automatic and provisional finishers in addition to the event winners at the Carolina Challenge. The number before the name is where they placed in the meet.
WOMEN
400 Meters
2. Shannon Kalawan – 52.71
11. Amanda Crawford – 55.24
60 Hurdles
4. Danielle Scantlebury – 8.79
4×400 Relay
5. Amanda Crawford, Davia Smith, Danielle Scantlebury, Shannon Kalawan – 3:42.01
MEN
200 Meters
24. Dontarian Evans – 21.74
400 Meters
10. Brandon Parris – 47.78
13. Jalen Jones – 48.08
5000 Meters
1. Baron Freeman – 15:29.14
60 Hurdles
1. Jeremiah Bridges – 8.25 (8.11 – Prelims)
2. Alazae Hester-Taylor – 8.26 (8.15 – Prelims)
5. Christian Smith – 8.41 (8.19 – Prelims)
4×400 Relay
3. Nathan Fergusson, Jalen Jones, Darren Alfred, Brandon Parris – 3:09.60
Long Jump
4. Jeremiah Bridges – 23-10¾
–Office of Sports Information
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