PUEBLO, Colo. – Levance Williams made an impressive debut Thursday on the opening day of the 50th annual NCAA Division II outdoor track and field championships.
The ACU senior from Colfax, La., opened his competition in the long jump with a leap of 25 feet, 11 inches – the best long jump by a Division II athlete this season – to win the event at warm and windy DeRose ThunderBowl.
It marked only the fourth time for an athlete from Abilene Christian to win the men's long jump at this meet – and the first time since 1999.
“I just wanted to get a mark,” Williams admitted of his first jump here Thursday. “Indoors, my runway was off. The Lord blessed me today with 7.90 (meters), and it was good enough to win. It gave me confidence.”
At the 2012 NCAA Division II indoor meet in Mankato, Minn., Williams fouled on his first attempt and managed only 23-9.5 for a non-scoring ninth.
The only other long jump winners by the ACU men at this competition were Stephen Moore in 1999 and Ayodele Aladefa back-to-back in 1998 and 1997.
Williams and hammer thrower Baptiste Kerjean combined to give the Wildcats 16 points on the first day of this three-day meet on the campus of Colorado State-Pueblo. The Wildcats are attempting to defend their title won last year in Turlock, Calif.
Kerjean continued to improve on his ACU record and Lone Star Conference best-ever with 210 feet, 9 inches for third place.
ACU senior
Nick Jones, the U.S. collegiate leader in the discus throw, will attempt to win his record-setting fourth title here in Friday's highlight. Another of Friday's favorites from Abilene Christian is Amanda Ouedraogo in the women's triple jump.
Among other ACU entries in Friday's qualifying are both Wildcat 1,600-meter relay teams.
Williams missed two rounds in the long jump finals to run the third assignment on coach Roosevelt Lofton's 400-meter relay team. He performed well there also by running the second curve and giving anchor Jordan Geary the lead.
Geary completed the race in 40.08 seconds in a semifinal heat that was scheduled to include LSC champion Texas A&M (39.71), but the Javelinas were disqualified for a false start. Lincoln, Mo., won the other heat in 39.88.
“I wanted to get my team in good position,” Williams said after the relay.
In the long jump, he said his opening round jump “put pressure” on the other athletes. “You want to make them come get you,” he added. “You take them out of their rhythm.”
His other jumps measured 22-10.5, 24-1.5 and 24-8.5.
Runner-up to Williams was Karlin Stewart of Grand Canyon at 25-4.75, which also came in the first round.
Unlike Williams, Kerjean saved his best for last. He was sixth after his preliminary throws of 204-10, 205-6 and 203-7, but he responded with 210-2 in round four to begin his move. After a foul, he finished with his record-setting throw (64.25 meters).
“I didn't want to finish with 62 (meters),” Baptiste said. “I felt like 65 or 66 (meters) today.” He classified his preliminary throws of just over 62 meters as “bad.”
“My coach (
Jerrod Cook) gave me some good advice,” he explained. “I didn't think I would be third, but it was great. Everybody was cheering. My hammer was in bad position at first. I could not accelerate.”
Baptiste was well back of the winner, Ryan Loughney of Ashland, the No. 2 hammer thrower in NCAA Division II history. Loughney, coached by Olympian and former American record holder Jud Logan, improved his own meet record with 232-1.
In the only other final Thursday that included a Wildcat, Karla Hope was a non-scoing 13th in the long jump (18-3.25).
In other qualifying races Thursday, the ACU women finished fourth in their heat of the sprint relay in 45.70, which was the sixth best time for the event. Adams State, Colo., led with 44.99.
In the multi-events, Abilene Christian's two entries also find themselves in non-scoring positions. Parker Petty is 10th in the decathlon with 3,387 points after five of 10 events, and Cassie Brooks is ninth in the heptathlon with 2,984 points after 4 of 7 events.
The leaders are the favorites from Central Missouri – Darius Walker in the decathlon (3,956) and Lindsay Lettow in the heptathlon (3,464). The multi-events will conclude Friday.
Two other Wildcats advanced to Saturday's finals. Paris Robertson won his heat of the 100 in a windy 10.30 with an impressive late charge from fourth midway through the dash, and Chloe Susset was the 10th of 12 qualifiers in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 11:22.07.
Two Wildcats who were LSC champions did not advance from Thursday's qualifying – Geary in the 400 (47.28) and Shennae Steele in the 100 (11.93).
