Durham, NC – The 2001 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Outdoor Track and Field Championships will open with St. Augustine’s College, the 2001 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Indoor Champions, looking for another chance at glory. However, the competition eagerly awaits the opportunity to dethrone the champs. The highly anticipated two-day event will begin on Friday, April 20 at North Carolina Central University. The men’s and women’s javelin throw will kick off the meet at 10:00 a.m. The first running event will begin with the 4x100 Meter Relay Trials at 2:00 p.m. [Schedule of Events]
"I feel proud and pleased to host the meet and showcase the University, " says NCCU Head Track Coach Michael Lawson. "Being a former CIAA track athlete, I am also proud to see the track teams from all the schools wearing their school colors and looking so unified."
The Saint Augustine’s Lady Falcons soar into the meet as the reigning Indoor and Outdoor National Champions. Led by NCAA Men’s and Women’s Division II Coach of the Year George Williams, the Lady Falcons posted a score of 63 points to take the indoor title, dethroning eight-time defending champ Abilene Christian. The Lady Falcons also are the reigning NCAA Outdoor Champions.
"I feel good about the [CIAA Outdoors] and moving on to the NCAAs," adds Williams. "I know we will have a tougher time without Tonia Oxley." Oxley, the defending NCAA 200 meter champ, recently suffered knee ligament damage. However, the Lady Falcons still pack plenty of ammunition with NCAA 1600 Meter Relay Team Champion members Kia Davis, Georgia Millings, Shakira Rutherford, and 2000 Olympian Florencia Hunt. Hunt remains one of track and field’s rising stars, and is one of the most feared middle-distance runners in the world. NCCU’s Katerina Glosova, CIAA Cross Country Champion and 800 meter runner, may be ready for the challenge. Davis, the 55-meter high hurdles NCAA Indoor Champion is also a star on the rise.
On the men’s side, St. Augustine’s Tim Rusan and NCCU’s Jason Smoots are ones to watch. Rusan, the recipient of the NCAA Division II Men’s Athlete of the Year Award, is the defending NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Long and Triple Jump Champion. Rusan broke the NCAA Indoor Meet Record he set in 2000 by covering 53 feet, 11 ¾ inches t his year. NCCU’s Smoots, the NCAA Indoor 55-Meter Champ, dusted the NCAA Indoor field with a time of 6.26 seconds.