The Angelo State men's and women's track & field squads will be sending 17 student-athletes to the 2010 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, according to the list of qualifiers released Wednesday morning. This year's event is scheduled for May 27-29 at the Irwin Belk Complex on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C.
The No. 1-ranked Rambelles will send seven athletes to the national meet in 11 events while the No. 5-ranked Rams have 10 participants in nine events. The Rambelles, who have been ranked atop D-II for the entire season, will send seniors Aisha Adams, Celethia Byrd, Kris Crockett, Andria Nussey and Chrystal Ruiz along with juniors Sara Hooker and Makayla Myers. For the Rams, senior James Howell, juniors Ryan Adkins, Wade Goode, Brian Holik, Terence Holland and Tyler Orlando, sophomores Jacob McDonald and Nick Smith and freshmen Isidro Garcia and Mark Slone.
Adams will participate in six events this season and enters as the top performer in both the heptathlon (5,795) and 400-meter hurdles (57.94). Her 5,795 points in the heptathlon, set at the Texas Relays, sits as the top all-time mark in the event in NCAA D-II. Adams is also seeded third in the 100-meter hurdles (13.34), long jump (20-8) and triple jump (40-10.25) and seeded fourth in the high jump (5-9.75). Last spring, Adams claimed the national title in the heptathlon and added All-America performances in the long jump and 400 hurdles and as part of ASU's 4x400-meter relay squad.
Byrd is the third seed in the 400-meter dash (54.64) and fifth seed in the 200-meter dash (23.72). Byrd was an All-American in both events in 2009, placing eighth in both. She also earned All-America honors as a junior as part of the Rambelles' 4x400 squad.
Ruiz is the second seed in the heptathlon behind Adams, qualifying with a 5,373-point performance at the Lone Star Conference Championships. Ruiz is also seeded fourth in the 400 hurdles (59.19), fifth in the 100 hurdles (13.63) and 18th in the long jump (19-2). Ruiz just missed All-America honors in the heptathlon honors in the heptathlon last spring, placing ninth as a junior. She did collect All-America recognition in the 400 hurdles, placing seventh in 2009.
Nussey enters as the seventh seed in the 800-meter run (2:09.51) and the eighth seed in the long jump (19-8.25). Nussey set the ASU record in the 800 earlier this season at the Texas Relays. She was an All-American for the Rambelles in the long jump last season and as part of ASU's 4x400 squad.
Crockett is seeded 16th in the 400 hurdles (1:01.13) and 20th in the 400 (55.90). She was part of last year's 4x400 squad that collected All-America honors.
The Rambelles' 4x400 relay enters with the fifth-best mark this season at 3:42.39 while the 4x100-meter squad is seeded sixth with a time of 46.28. Hooker will run both the 4x100 and 4x400 relays while Myers will run the 4x100.
Howell enters the national meet seeded third in the 400 (46.13) and fourth in the 200-meter dash (20.90). He was an All-America as both an individual and as a relay member as a junior in 2009. He placed seventh last season in the 400 and was on the Rams' All-American 4x400 relay squad.
Orlando is the fourth seed in the javelin at next week's meet, entering with a qualifying mark of 218-3. He placed seventh as a sophomore in 2009, earning All-America honors in the event.
McDonald is the fifth seed in the javelin (211-0) and 13th seed in the pole vault (16-3.25).
Goode is seeded ninth in the discus throw (174-2). He qualified in the shot put as a sophomore in 2009, placing 12th at the national meet.
Slone enters as the 15th seed in the triple jump (48-11.0).
Garcia is the seeded 13th in the 400-meter dash (47.05).
The Rambelles placed second at the 2009 national meet while the Rams finished in eighth place. For more information on the 2010 NCAA D-II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, including a complete list of qualifiers, click here.
