The NCAA News - News and Features

June 1, 1998

St. Augustine's shocks Abilene Christian in II men's track

The 1998 Division II Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships were supposed to be another showcase for Abilene Christian.

Having demolished the field by 71 1/2 points in 1996 and 82 points in 1997, the Wildcats -- with more than 15 student-athletes competing at the 1998 event -- were in position to romp to their third consecutive title.

But the romp never happened.

Jerome Young swept the 200- and 400-meter dashes, and St. Augustine's received points from eight individuals, including double-digit points from five competitors, to stun the field May 21-23 at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.

The Falcons, who finished 113 points behind Abilene Christian in 1997, amassed 97 points to win their eighth title in the last 10 years.

Abilene Christian scored 80 points to place runner-up for the fifth time in the last seven years.

Central Missouri State finished third (57 points) for the second consecutive year, while Angelo State and Cal State Los Angeles rounded out the top five, respectively.

Young set the pace for the Falcons, netting 20 points with victories in the 200 and 400, while also helping accumulate 18 points with a first-place showing in the 1,600-meter relay and a second-place finish in the 400-meter relay. In the 400, Young posted a time of 44.19 seconds to smash the meet record of 44.58 set by Patrick DeFelice of Texas A&M-Kingsville at the 1993 championships.

Four events later, Young again etched his name in the records book by cruising to the 200-meter dash crown (20.41). Young's victory, coupled with his 400 crown, enabled him to join Mark Witherspoon of Abilene Christian (1984), Ian Morris of Abilene Christian (1986), DeFelice (1993) and Marlin Cannon of St. Augustine's (1995) as the only competitors to sweep the two events.

Young was not the Falcons' only outstanding performer. Deworski Odom (13 points), Lancelot Gooden and Rodrigues Pfister (12 each) and Gabriel Burnett (11) each contributed double-digit points. Odom, Gooden and Burnett also joined Young on the 400 relay, while Pfister was a member of the squad's 1,600 relay.

Odom, Burnett and Pfister combined for 18 points in the 110-meter high hurdles, placing second, third and fifth, respectively. Odom also was fourth in the 100-meter dash, while Burnett was fourth in the 200 and Pfister placed second in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles.

Gooden garnered third-place showings in the long and triple jumps.

St. Augustine's also received points from Frederick Adongo, who was fourth in the 10,000-meter run; Michael James, sixth in the 400 hurdles; and Cleveland McClory, who combined for three points in long and triple jumps.

Other event winners included Gregory Roberts of Morehouse, who won his third consecutive high-jump crown to join Dave Haber of Cal State Hayward (1975-77) as the only competitors to win three consecutive event titles.

Ayodele Aladefa of Abilene Christian, Brian Moorman of Pittsburg State and Jonathon Jordan of Cal State Los Angeles each won their second individual titles.

Aladefa became the fourth individual to win back-to-back long-jump crowns, while Moorman is the first 400 hurdles competitor to successfully defend his championship since Tranel Hawkins of Angelo State in 1983-84.

Jordan leaped to his second triple-jump crown in three years.

Lindel Frater of Tarleton State (100-meter dash) and Elly Rono of Southern Indiana (10,000-meter run) won their school's first men's individual outdoor track titles.

Jason Stuke of Emporia State (shot put) claimed his school's first Division II track individual crown. Emporia State won six Division I individual titles.