SAU Falcons Win Third Consecutive NCAA Men's Outdoor Crown To Give Williams Most NCAA Track and Field Titles

ALLENDALE, Michigan -- Saint Augustine's University displayed its superior depth once again in winning a third consecutive men's national crown at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships on the Grand Valley State University campus Saturday, May 23, 2015. The Falcons have claimed 36 men's and women's indoor and outdoor titles overall under legendary Head Coach George Williams, who now has the most NCAA track and field championships as a coach, regardless of division.

The Falcons clinched the victory in the men's 200-meter dash late in the meet. They trailed 50-47 to the University of Findlay heading into the event, but Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (Jr./Raleigh, NC) finished third in the 200 to give the Falcons a 53-50 lead with two events left. The lead held as the Falcons won their 13th NCAA Division II men's outdoor title. Ashland University placed third with 43 points.

The Lady Falcons tied for eighth among the women's teams with 26 points. Central Missouri won the women's outdoor title with 59 points followed by Lincoln (Mo.) University with 50 points and New Mexico Highlands University with 42 points.

Coach Williams was proud of both teams, especially his men's squad, who entered Saturday with 10 points after David Shaw, Jr. (Sr./Red Springs, NC) won the triple jump Friday. This was the first time in Williams' illustrious 39-year coaching career that the Falcons competed without a men's 4x400-meter relay team in the finals. The Falcons had won 21 of 28 men's mile-relay races at the NCAA outdoor championships, and were the three-time defending champs in their signature event.

The Falcons also competed without a high jumper or a 400-meter hurdler in the finals, but they had more than enough sprinters to take home another championship trophy.

"It was a blessing," Williams said about the Falcons' latest championship. "The kids did their jobs well and came through for the team. We are glad to be a part of the Mighty Falcons. The sons and daughters of Saint Augustine's University did what they were supposed to do."

The Falcons stepped up in the other men's events to quickly move up the leaderboard. The 4x100-meter relay team held off Pittsburg State University to finish second and Moussa Dembele (Sr./Dakar, Senegal) was seventh in the men's 110-meter hurdles early in the meet. The 4x100 squad consisted of JaQuan Demiel (Sr./Suffolk, VA), Ellis, Kevaughn Hewitt (Sr./Miramar, FL) and Daniel Jamieson (Jr./Windsor, CT).

The pivotal race was the men's 400-meter dash when the Falcons scored 19 points to take their first lead. Omar Johnson (Jr./St. Ann, Jamaica), ranked first in the 400 for the final five weeks of the regular season, won the national title in the event while Khari Herbert, Jr. (So./Coral Springs, FL) was third and Ellis placed sixth.

Several other Falcons scored critical points late. Jamieson placed sixth in the men's 100-meter finals and Immanuel Hutchinson (Jr./San Jacinto, CA) finished fourth in the men's 800-meter finals. Their points help the Falcons keep pace with Findlay, who re-gained the lead briefly before Ellis pushed the champs ahead for good in the 200.

In the women's events, Belle was the biggest highlight for the Lady Falcons on Saturday. She entered the meet as the top-ranked 400-meter hurdler for the last eight weeks and she did not disappoint. Belle ran a career-best 57.45 seconds to win the national title in an event she dominated during the regular season.

Belle also helped the Lady Falcons place second in the women's 4x400-meter relay and eighth in the women's 4x100-meter relay. The 4x400 relay team included Sherrie-Ann Ashman (Sr./Brooklyn, NY), Cherrisse Lynch (Sr./Bridgetown, Barbados) and Fanta Fofana (Sr./Amiens, France). The 4x100 relay squad included Ashman, Shakinah Brooks (So./Raleigh, NC) and Ornella Livingston (Jr./Christiana, Jamaica).

Coach Williams went into the meet tied with Texas A&M University Head Coach Pat Henry for the most NCAA track & field championships as a coach before surpassing him Saturday. Williams, also the Saint Augustine's University Athletic Director, has the most NCAA track & field titles for a coach at one school, regardless of division, and the most NCAA Division II track & field championships as a coach.

The Falcons and Lady Falcons will arrive at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport in Morrisville, N.C., on Southwest Airlines Sunday, May 24, at 9:55 p.m.

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION