Dillard Bleu Devils dominate competition and claim men's GCAC Track and Field Championship

Dillard University's men's track and field team is crowned 2014 GCAC champions.
Photo Courtesy By R. Costanza

NEW ORLEANS -- The Dillard Bleu Devils track and field team scored 178 points en route to a 2014 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Track and Field Championship at Tad Gormley Stadium. The win marked the second GCAC Track and Field Championship in the last four years for the men's team.

Junior runner Jevonte Ezzard (JR/College Park, GA) kicked things off with a first place finish in the Men's 3000 Meter Steeplechase with a time of 11:02.78, a personal best, as Dillard proceeded to have runners finish third, fourth and fifth respectively in the same event. The men's 4x100 meter relay team also earned a first place finish, posting a time of 42.06. Seniors Matthew Jones, Wendell Collins (SR/New Orleans, LA), and juniors Tobyus Simmons (JR/Chattanooga, TN) and Kermit Buggage rounded out Dillard's relay team.

Jones also finished first place overall in the Men's 400 Meter Dash with a time of 49.32 while Simmons finished second in the men's 100 Meter Dash, posting a time of 10.66, virtually tying the first place finisher (Stanley Johnson-Voorhees) who also produced a time of 10.66.

Edward Waters College finished second overall with 153 points while GCAC newcomer Voorhees College finished in third with 106 points. In the previous two seasons, the Bleu Devils ended up on the short end of the stick with two second place finishes as Edward Waters earned back to back championships.

For Dillard, senior Sean Wilson (JR/New Orleans, LA) finished first in the Men's 110 Meter Hurdles with a time of 16.41 while junior Rudy Garza (JR/Rosenberg, TX) placed second with a time of 17.32. Senior Emory Nash (SR/Ft. Worth, TX) finished first place overall in the Men's 800 Meter Run, posting a time of 2:01.00.

The Bleu Devils will now participate in Friday's track meet at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond as they prepare for NAIA Nationals in Gulf Shores, AL, which begin on May 22.

COURTESY THE GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (GCAC)