Claflin's Priest named NCAA All-American in Track & Field

The road to NCAA All-American for Laquan Priest was long and hard to say the least. The Georgetown native and three-time NCAA Championship qualifier won All-American status after finishing 5th, at the NCAA National Indoor Track and Field Championships, in Albuquerque, NM.

After winning the State Championship in the triple-jump his senior year at Georgetown High School, the only school to recruit Priest was Claflin University. And for that I will be eternally grateful.

“I came to Claflin to prove a point to those schools who did not recruit me,” said Priest.

“I used that as motivation to make a mark on the Track and Field world here at Claflin, the SIAC and the NCAA.”

Making a mark is exactly what he did in just three years Priest has been a National qualifier for indoor and outdoor track for three years. He was named ALL-SOUTH REGION Male Field Athlete of the Year in 2009, and 2010. Priest was also ALL SOUTH REGION outdoor Male Field Athlete of the Year 2010. Laquan was also SIAC triple-jump Champion, SIAC Field Athlete of the Year 2010.

Laquan started his track career his junior year in high school when the track coach observed him in the gym playing basketball, and asked him about track.

“The coach had me run the 200 and 400. But I started jumping in the pit and found out that I enjoyed it and was really pretty good at it,” remembered Priest.

“I began to jump my senior year and was fortunate enough to win a State championship in the event.” And the rest of his story we all know. Priest says “that the road to becoming an All-American took a lot of hard work and practice.” And this would be the advice he would share with any young athlete who dreams of becoming an All-American in any sport.

After graduation and his track career is chronicled in the history of Claflin University, Laquan is aspiring to become an athletic trainer, which he is an intern at Claflin, in the Athletics Training Department. “I do not have any aspirations of furthering my track career after I have graduated, but I do know I will be involved in track and field, for thirty years. I am looking forward to helping my 12 year old brother who has competed in track and field for the past three years.”

Knowing the determination and work ethic that Priest possesses, there is no doubt that he will become an All-American in whatever he sets his mind to do. Look to see Laquan write an article in a sports medicine journal, or becoming one of the nations’ best track and field coaches. He is an All-American, All-American…..

Dr. Lionell W. Sabb, Sports Information Director
Claflin University
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