The NCAA News - News and Features

March 23, 1998

Abilene Christian women run to 10th crown in 11 years

If there ever comes a time when championship trophies are distributed before the start of competition, the Division II Women's Indoor Track Championships would be a good place to start. In fact, Abilene Christian should be the first recipient.

Of course, that time will never come. But the way the Wildcats have performed at the championships for the past decade, they certainly are a worthy candidate.

Receiving points from 11 individuals March 13-14 at Indianapolis, Abilene Christian amassed 66 points to win its sixth consecutive championship and its 10th in 11 years.

The Wildcats outdistanced runner-up South Dakota by 23 points to post their sixth consecutive double-digit triumph.

South Dakota's finish was its best ever.

Lewis (36 points), St. Augustine's (31) and Adams State (23) placed third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

Abilene Christian's men's team also won, marking the third consecutive year and the sixth time overall that the school has swept the championships.

"We had our points spread out just about everywhere," said Wildcats coach Wes Kittley. "We kept coming today. We won a few events and got a lot of thirds and fourths. The hurdles was a key event for us.

"On paper, I thought the difference might be about 10 points. But we brought 17 women. We just had more people than everybody else."

Winning three individual events, the Wildcats accumulated one-third of their points in the 55-meter hurdles, as Delloreen Ennis led a 1-2-4 finish. Ennis raced to the finish in 7.76 seconds to join Chandra Sturrup of Norfolk State (1993-95) and Becky Ball of Ashland (1996-98) as the only Division II women to win individual events in three consecutive years.

In addition, Ennis is the first NCAA women's competitor and only second athlete ever to win three consecutive hurdles crowns. Maynard Hurd of Frostburg State (1985-87) also won three consecutive hurdles championships.

Suzanna Dickerson placed second to Ennis, while Shawntel Newhouse finished fourth.

Tracey Barnes grabbed the Wildcats' second title, claiming the 400-meter dash, and followed that by running the final 400 meters on the squad's winning 1,600-meter relay. Barnes, who posted a time of 53.16 in the 400, was joined by Tamira Holland, Juanita Robertson and Tameka Rodriguez on the relay.

In addition to Abilene Christian's noteworthy performance, several individuals enjoyed memorable outings.

Ball won her third consecutive 20-pound weight throw title in record fashion, registering a mark of 18.97 (62-3). Ball, who surpassed her own record, is the only competitor to win the event.

Elena Swan of South Dakota became the second individual to claim the long and triple jumps in the same year. After winning the long jump, Swan leaped 12.23 meters (40 feet, 11/2 inches) to complete the jumps double and become the ninth individual to win two crowns in the same year. Tomi Rucker of St. Augustine's (1985) also completed the long- and triple-jump double.

Debby Volkers of Augustana (South Dakota) made it two consecutive high-jump titles, joining Abilene Christian's Kim Bartee-Neece (1994-95) as the only competitors to successfully defend their championships.

Division II women's indoor track

TEAM RESULTS

1. Abilene Christian, 66; 2. South Dak., 43; 3. Lewis, 36; 4. St. Augustine's, 31; 5. Adams St., 23; 6. UC Davis, 20; 7. Ashland, 18; 8. (tie) Cal St. Los Angeles and Western St., 14; 10. North Dak. St., 13 1Ž2.

11. (tie) Augustana (S.D.) and Neb.-Omaha, 12; 13. Harding, 10; 14. (tie) Minn.-Duluth, N.C. Central and South Dak. St., 8; 17. Northwest Mo. St., 6 1Ž2; 18. (tie) Edinboro, Emporia St., Hillsdale and Kutztown, 6.

22. (tie) Central Mo. St. and New York Tech, 2; 24. Saginaw Valley, 1.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

55-meter dash: 1. Calister Uba, Harding, 6.90; 2. Elisha Marshall, N.C. Central, 6.95; 3. Zandra Borrero, Abilene Christian, 7.00; 4. Brandy Haan, Northwest Mo. St., 7.02; 5. Delloreen Ennis, Abilene Christian, 7.07; 6. Juanita Robertson, Abilene Christian, 7.12.

400-meter dash: 1. Tracey Barnes, Abilene Christian, 53.16; 2. Stephanie Knight, South Dak., 54.88; 3. Carri Butler, Neb.-Omaha, 54.99; 4. Deandra Doubrava, Emporia St., 55.23; 5. (tie) Jill Theeler, North Dak. St., and Juanita Robertson, Abilene Christian, 55.62.

800-meter run: 1. Sarah Parkey, Adams St., 2:08.02; 2. Beth Bayser, Lewis, 2:09.06; 3. Krista Trei, South Dak., 2:11.77; 4. Magdalena Paszta, Lewis, 2:11.80; 5. Emily Oyen, South Dak. St., 2:12.54; 6. Isabel Silva, New York Tech, 2:12.75.

Mile run: 1. Magdalena Paszta, Lewis, 4:48.53; 2. Nicole Jefferson, Western St., 4:49.03; 3. Kasia Arient, Lewis, 4:49.84; 4. Codi Lehr, North Dak. St., 4:49.94; 5. Janelle Olson, Adams St., 4:50.25; 6. Vivian Ruijters, Abilene Christian, 4:52.94.

5,000-meter run: 1. Janelle Olson, Adams St., 16:36.79; 2. Kasia Arient, Lewis, 16:45.11; 3. Amy Perry, Edinboro, 16:52.76; 4. Vivian Ruijters, Abilene Christian, 16:55.76; 5. Stacy Johnson, Augustana (S.D.), 16:56.40; 6. Kim Bugg, Adams St., 17:00.60.

55-meter high hurdles: 1. Delloreen Ennis, Abilene Christian, 7.76; 2. Suzanna Dickerson, Abilene Christian, 7.98; 3. Lisa Taylor, St. Augustine's, 8.01; 4. Shawntel Newhouse, Abilene Christian, 8.08; 5. Elena Swan, South Dak., 8.09; 6. Maria Quinonez, St. Augustine's, 8.11.

1,600-meter relay: 1. Abilene Christian (Tamira Holland, Juanita Robertson, Tameka Rodriguez, Tracey Barnes), 3:43.38; 2. UC Davis, 3:45.12; 3. Neb.-Omaha, 3:46.80; 4. South Dak., 3:47.26; 5. St. Augustine's, 3:48.38; 6. New York Tech, 3:50.58.

High jump: 1. Debby Volkers, Augustana (S.D.), 1.79 (5-101Ž2); 2. Andrea Jeseritz, North Dak. St., 1.76 (5-91Ž4); 3. Terresha DeRossett, Hillsdale, 1.70 (5-7); 4. Rachel Martinez, Abilene Christian, 1.70 (5-7); 5. Tonya Kniefl, South Dak., 1.70 (5-7); 6. (tie) Tracey Gust, Abilene Christian, and Misty Campbell, Northwest Mo. St., 1.65 (5-5).

Long jump: 1. Elena Swan, South Dak., 5.88 (19-31Ž2); 2. Nicole Irving, St. Augustine's, 5.88 (19-31Ž2); 3. Dolette Blake, St. Augustine's, 5.86 (19-23Ž4); 4. Angela Orlando, UC Davis, 5.83 (19-11Ž2); 5. Deandra Doubrava, Emporia St., 5.79 (19-0); 6. Shamilla Symonette, St. Augustine's, 5.70 (18-81Ž2).

Triple jump: 1. Elena Swan, South Dak., 12.23 (40-11Ž2); 2. Angela Orlando, UC Davis, 12.20 (40-01Ž2); 3. Ermelinda Shehu, Western St., 11.97 (39-31Ž4); 4. Shanka Walker, St. Augustine's, 11.82 (38-91Ž2); 5. Khalilah Childress, Central Mo. St., 11.78 (38-73Ž4); 6. Nicole Irving, St. Augustine's, 11.77 (38-71Ž2).

Shot put: 1. Kirran Moss, Cal St. Los Angeles, 14.48 (47-61Ž4); 2. Becky Ball, Ashland, 14.22 (46-8); 3. Nancy Overman, South Dak. St., 14.01 (45-113Ž4); 4. Monique Kuenen, Abilene Christian, 14.00 (45-111Ž4); 5. Denise George, St. Augustine's, 13.96 (45-93Ž4); 6. Elizabeth Mulvaney, Saginaw Valley, 13.80 (45-31Ž2).

20-pound weight throw: 1. Becky Ball, Ashland, 18.97 (62-3) (meet record; old record, 18.84 [61-53Ž4], Becky Ball, Ashland, 1997); 2. Beth Howard, Minn.-Duluth, 17.45 (57-3); 3. Tara Crozier, Kutztown, 16.96 (55-73Ž4); 4. Kirran Moss, Cal St. Los Angeles, 16.67 (54-81Ž4); 5. Julie Humphreys, Northwest Mo. St., 16.41 (53-101Ž4); 6. Brandy Echternach, South Dak., 16.40 (53-93Ž4).