Saint Augustine's University is ranked atop the NCAA Division II Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field National Team Rankings for the second consecutive week according to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), which released the rankings on Tuesday, April 12, 2016.
The three-time defending national champion Falcons are first in the men's rankings followed by Texas A&M University-Kingsville at No. 2 and Grand Valley State University at No. 3. The Lady Falcons head the women's rankings with Johnson C. Smith University second and West Texas A&M University third.
The Falcons achieved four provisional qualifying times and marks in the JCSU Invitational last week to lead the men's rankings. In the 200-meter dash, Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (Sr./Raleigh, NC) ran 20.99, Daniel Jamieson (Sr./Windsor, CT) ran 21.22 and La'Kai Whatley (Fr./Rome, GA) ran 21.55. Kirvano Handfield (Fr./Turks & Caicos Island) recorded a mark of 6-9¾ in the high jump.
The Falcons, led by their top-ranked 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams, are ranked among the top 10 in 13 men's events this week. The 4x100 and 4x400 squads lead their respective events with times of 39.52 and 3:07.22, respectively. The 4x100 squad consists of Brent Arceneaux (Sr./Snellville, GA), Ellis, Kendall Kee (Sr./Shelby, NC) and Jamieson, and the 4x400 team includes Shawn Rowe (Jr./West Palm Beach, FL), Ellis, Khari Herbert, Jr. (Jr./Coral Springs, FL) and Shaquille Dill (Fr./Pembroke, Jamaica).
The Lady Falcons reached two provisional times in the JCSU Invitational to pace the women's rankings. Shakinah Brooks (Jr./Raleigh, NC) ran 11.83 in the 100-meter dash and Tia-Adana Belle (Jr./St. George, Barbados) ran 55.08 in the 400-meter dash.
The Lady Falcons are ranked among the top 10 in 10 events this week. Belle leads all Division II hurdlers with a time of 56.34 in the 400-meter hurdles and the foursome of Ade Hunter (So./Philadelphia, PA), Ornella Livingston (Sr./St. Ann, Jamaica), Leah Barker (So./St. Michaels, Barbados) and Belle has the nation's fastest time (3:39.32) in the 4x400-meter relay.
Below is the list of Falcons and Lady Falcons ranked in the top 10 nationally by the USTFCCCA. To see the complete list of team and individual rankings, go to ustfccca.org.
WOMEN
(Ranking, Name, Event, Time)
1 – Tia-Adana Belle (400-Meter Hurdles) – 56.34
1 – Ornella Livingston, Ade Hunter, Leah Barker, Tia-Adana Belle (4x400-Meter Relay) – 3:39.32
2 – Tia-Adana Belle (100-Meter Hurdles) – 13.47
2 – Ornella Livingston (100-Meter Dash) – 11.43
2 – Shakinah Brooks (Long Jump) – 20-2¼
2 – Shamia Lassiter, Leah Barker, Shakinah Brooks, Ornella Livingston (4x100-Meter Relay) – 45.48
5 – Shamia Lassiter (100-Meter Hurdles) – 13.66
6 – Ornella Livingston (200 Meters) – 24.13
6 – Amenze Uhunmwangho (Triple Jump) – 39-8½
7 – Tia-Adana Belle (400-Meter Dash) – 55.08
MEN
(Ranking, Name, Event, Time)
1 – Brent Arceneaux, Kendall Kee, Burkheart Ellis, Jr., Daniel Jamieson (4x100-Meter Relay) – 39.52
1 – Shawn Rowe, Burkheart Ellis, Jr., Khari Herbert, Jr., Shaquille Dill (4x400-Meter Relay) – 3:07.22
2 – Shaquille Dill (800 Meters) – 1:48.29
2 – Shawn Rowe (400-Meter Hurdles) – 50.09
3 – Immanuel Hutchinson (800 Meters) – 1:48.73
3 – David Shaw (Triple Jump) – 51-0
4 – Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (200 Meters) – 20.99
4 – Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (100 Meters) – 10.34
4 – Shawn Rowe (110-Meter Hurdles) – 14.07
6 – Daniel Jamieson (100 Meters) – 10.42
8 – Kirvano Handfield (High Jump) – 6-9¾
9 – Jumonne Exeter (Triple Jump) – 49-7
10 – Khari Herbert, Jr. (400 Meters) – 47.15
