National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

March 3, 1997

Division II

Abilene Christian looks untouchable

Event: 1997 Division II Men's Indoor Track Championships.

Overview: Shortly after Abilene Christian scored nearly twice as many points as its nearest competitor to win the 1996 championships, many coaches may have been thinking, "There's always next year." Next year has arrived, but there shouldn't be much change. The Wildcats, after last year's 40-point victory, have all the ingredients to dominate again. "This could be the largest group I've ever taken to the national championships," said Abilene Christian track coach Wes Kittley, noting that 19 competitors could qualify for the championships. "We've got a well-rounded group and possibly could have someone in every event. I think the meet will be closer than last year, but I feel like we'll be very tough to beat." Sayon Cooper, who has posted the top qualifying mark in the 55-meter dash (6.20), and Kempa Busby and Terrence Norris, who are among the top five nationally in the 400-meter dash, lead the sprints, while Musa Gwanzura (800-meter and mile runs) and Thomas Korir, defending 5,000-meter run champion, are the Wildcats' top performers in the middle-distance and distance events. Jason Pearce (pole vault), Glen Griffin (shot put and 35-pound weight throw) and Luke Hurst (shot put) are the squad's top field-event performers ... Seven-time champion St. Augustine's, runner-up in 1996, will try to keep the Wildcats within striking range. The Falcons look to Lynn Stewart (400-meter dash) and Derrick Trimble (55-meter hurdles) to score in the running events, while the field-event charge will be headed by Theodore Williams (high jump), Dayton Watson (high jump) and Burkheart Ellis (long jump and triple jump) ... Central Missouri State -- with defending mile champion Alexandr Alexin, Jason Ramsey (55-meter hurdles) and James Robinson (triple jump) -- and Lewis -- led by defending 800-meter run champion Manual Joseph and Donnell Baylock (long jump) -- also are contenders.

Field: A maximum of 126 student-athletes will qualify for the championships.

Dates and site: March 7-8 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. Butler and USA Track and Field are cohosts.

Information/results: The fax-on-demand telephone number is 770/399-3060 (passcode 1915); request numbers are 1575 for dates/site/schedule, 5268 for qualifiers, 5269 for first-day results, 5270 for second-day results and 5271 for final results only. Championships results also will be available on the World Wide Web at www.ncaa.org. Results will be published in the March 17 issue of The NCAA News.

Championships note: Defending champion John McEwen of Morningside has posted the top qualifying mark in the 35-pound weight throw (64-71/2).