ALBUQUERQUE, N.M – Abilene Christian had two top five finishes on the first day of field events at the NCAA DII National Championships at the Albuquerque Convention Center on Friday. The Wildcats also had three sprinters qualify for Saturday's finals including sprinter
Desmond Jackson in the 200 meters and 60 meters.
In the men's long jump
Ramon Sparks finished with a jump of 24-7 1/4 finishing in second place. He was the highest finisher of the day for ACU. Nafee Harris of Indiana (Pa.) was the long jump champion with a jump of 25-7 1/4.
For the women in Friday's field events
Jessica Blair had a top five finish in the pole vault for the Wildcats earning the only points of the on the women's side. Blair vaulted a height of 12-10 for fourth place as Truman State's Katrina Biermann took home first place.
In Friday's preliminaries
Desmond Jackson and
Andrew McDowell qualified for Saturday's finals. Jackson qualified in the 60 meter dash as well as the 200 meter dash with times of 21.36 in the 200m and 6.37 in the 60m. McDowell had the fastest time in the 60 meter hurdles as he looks to defend his National Championship in the event.
In the heptathlon
James Hardin is in 11th place after four events with 2669 points, 400 points behind the leader, Central Missouri's Darius Walker. Hardin and the rest of the field will finish tomorrow with the 1000 meters, 60 meter hurdles and pole vault left to be finished.
For the Women ACU had one qualifier in the 60 meter dash as
Wanda Hutson finished with a time of 7.43 which will start her fourth in the finals. St. Augustines' Barbara Pierre was the top qualifier at 7.29 which was a NCAA meet record.
ACU currently sits in a three-way tie for sixth as a team with the track finals and more field events to be completed.
The Wildcat women recorded five points from Blair's finish in the pole vault. However, they also have more field events with the track finals to be completed.
Jessica Withrow will also compete for ACU in the pentathlon.
Women - Team Rankings - 4 Events Scored
1) Grand Valley St. 15
2) Ashland 12
3) Fort Hays St. 10
3) Truman State 10
3) Seattle Pacific 10
3) Northern State 10
7) Missouri Southern 8.5
8) Indiana (Pa.) 8
8) Shippensburg 8
8) Lincoln (Mo.) 8
8) Minn. St. Mankato 8
12) Slippery Rock 6
12) Adams State 6
12) Hillsdale 6
15) St. Cloud St. 5
15) Abilene Christian5
17) U. of Mary 4
18) Augustana (S.D.) 3
18) Northwood 3
18) Emporia St. 3
21) Cal St. Stanislaus 2.5
22) Western Washington 2
23) Lewis 1
23) Winona State 1
23) Colorado Mines 1
Men - Team Rankings - 4 Events Scored
1) St. Augustines 18
1) Adams State 18
3) Indiana (Pa.) 15
3) Hillsdale 15
5) Ashland 14
6) Abilene Christian 8
6) Missouri Southern 8
6) American Intl 8
9) Pittsburg St. 7
10) Central Missouri 6
10) Metropolitan St. 6
10) Stonehill 6
10) Lincoln (Mo.) 6
14) Western State 5
15) Colorado Mines 4
16) St. Pauls College 2.5
16) Emporia St. 2.5
18) Minn. St. Mankato 2
18) Northern State 2
20) UMass Lowell 1
20) Bowie State 1
20) West Chester 1
