Track and Field Team Wins Fourth Straight National Title

The Indiana Tech men’s track and field team claimed their fourth straight NAIA track and field title at the 2015 NAIA Indoor National Championships in Geneva, Ohio at the Spire Institute on Saturday. All in all, the Tech men completed the three day event with one individual national champion and 13 individual All-Americans, as well as two relay All-American teams.

The Indiana Tech women’s track and field team took second while producing 22 All-Americans and one national champion. Senior Shayla France won the 60m hurdles title, finishing in 8.35 while also making the podium in the 200m (2nd; 24.13) and the 400m (7th; 57.42).

 For the men, sophomore Trevor Stanley earned All-American status with his finishes in the 60m (8th in 6.93), 60m hurdles (7th in 8.24) and the 200m (7th in 21.72) while fellow hurdler, Robert Rose, joined him on the podium, finishing second in the 60m hurdles with a time of 7.97 and fifth in the 400m (48.13). Wayne Sherbahn, John Broaden and Harris Edwards, III also earned All-American awards with Sherbahn finishing seventh in the 60m (6.88), Broaden fourth (21.60) and Edwards fifth (21.68) in the 200m.

Junior John Hester collected three All-American honors as well. The Fort Wayne native finished second in the 600m (1:17.14) and helped the 4x800m and 4x400m relay teams finish second in both events, respectively. The 4x400m relay team of D’Quan Ruth, Rose, DeShawn Woods and Hester came roaring in for second in a time of 3:10.74.

The lone field event honor on the final day came from junior TJ Williams who leaped to a mark of 14.62m (47-11.75) for fifth place in the triple jump.

For the women, Tech dominated in the 60m where Tia Cooper (7.532), Brianna Woods (7.538), Jewel Thomas (7.55) and Katelyn Lewis (7.72) finished second, third, fourth and eighth, respectively. Mariama Waheed became an All-American with her seventh place finish in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.89.

In the 200m France (24.13), Woods (24.25), Thomas (24.71) and Cooper (25.47) became All-Americans again with their second, fourth, sixth and eighth place finishes respectively.

Kirsten Flake was the top finisher in the 400m where the senior finished sixth in 57.26 while teammates France (57.42) and April Wilson (57.49) finished seventh and eighth rounding out the sprints.

In the distance races, senior Cherie Gaines finished sixth in the 800m with a time of 2:13.19 while fellow runner Laura Condron also finished sixth in the 3000m in 9:59.82.

The distance medley relay team of Kerigan Riley, Tyra Cooper, Gaines and Tiffany Rauch registered a 12:14.30 for a sixth place finish for one relay All-American team honor.

The 4x400m relay took third with a blistering time of 3:45.46 with the members of Chauntiel Smith, Flake, Wilson and France for the second All-American relay team.

The Warriors finished second with 79 points just behind Oklahoma Baptist who had 87. Rounding out the top five was Wayland Baptist (73), Siena Heights (43) and Westmont (41).

The Warriors begin their quest for five consecutive titles with a trip to UNC-Charlotte at the 49er Classic on Thursday-Saturday, Mar. 19-21 for the start of the outdoor season. The event will be held at the Irwin Belk Track & Field Center.