RALEIGH, N.C. (May 2) – National powerhouse Saint Augustine’s University (SAU) is prepared to defend its men’s and women’s conference titles at the 2019 CIAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Bowie, Md., on Saturday, May 4, and Sunday, May 5. The championship meet begins at 9 a.m. both days at Bowie State University.
The Falcons and Lady Falcons will attempt to sweep the conference meet for the second straight year. SAU has captured 21 consecutive men’s crowns and two women’s titles in four years. Overall, SAU has taken home 38 of the last 40 men’s outdoor titles and 15 of the previous 22 women’s outdoor crowns.
Both teams are ranked in the top 10 nationally in Division II. The Falcons are ninth in the men’s rankings and the Lady Falcons are eighth in the women’s rankings. Individually, SAU is ranked in the top 10 nationally in five men’s events and five women’s events.
For the men, Najair Jackson (So./Spanish Town, Jamaica) is fourth in the javelin throw and Shaquille Dill (Sr./Pembroke, Bermuda) is sixth in the 800 run. In the 400 hurdles, Nathan Fergusson (Fr./St. Thomas, Barbados) ranks seventh and Alazae Hester-Taylor (Jr./Homestead, AL) is 10th. The 4×400 squad of Fergusson, Jalen Jones (Fr./Raeford, NC), Darren Alfred (Fr./Bethel, Trinidad & Tobago) and Brandon Parris (Sr./Sion Hill, St. Vincent) ranks first and the 4×100 team of Fergusson, Parris, Dontarian Evans (Sr./Gainesville, FL) and Alfred ranks third.
For the women, defending 400 hurdles national champion Shannon Kalawan (Jr./Westmoreland, Jamaica) is No. 1 in her event. She also ranks 10th in the 400 dash and anchors the top-ranked 4×400 relay team, which includes Jaria Hoyte (Fr./St. Phillip, Barbados), Amanda Crawford (Jr./Brooklyn, NY) and Danielle Scantlebury (Fr./St. George, Barbados).
Crawford ranks fourth in the 400 dash and 10th in the 200 dash. The 4×100 unit of Kalawan, Scantlebury, Tashoy Blake (Jr./Clarendon, Jamaica) and Crawford ranks third.
The SAU men and women have combined to win 39 NCAA Division II national championships during the indoor and outdoor track & field seasons under legendary head coach George Williams. He has won the most NCAA national track and field championships of any coach, regardless of division.
-Office of Sports Information
