2014 NCAA D-2 Indoor Track & Field Team Challenge at SPIRE Results

Geneva, OH – The Academy of Art University track & field crew headed to NCAA Division II Nationals expanded and deepened Saturday at the world-class facility known as the SPIRE Institute. Highlighting the NCAA DII Indoor T&F Team Challenge at SPIRE was Jordan Edwards' blistering time in the 400m (now #1 in all of NCAA DII), Keanna Moody's impressive mark in the 400m (#3 in all of NCAA DII), a women's 4x400m relay which rose to #2 in the country, and the program's first-ever provisional qualifier in the 800m in Kaelyn Harbison.

"We didn't hit every mark we wanted this weekend, but those who did made some real noise and positioned themselves very well for the NCAA Championships," head coach Charles Ryan said. "We broke a bunch of school records and put a lot of people on notice. It was an exciting weekend."

Looking to expand his number of potential scoring events at Nationals, Edwards toed the line for the 400m dash and did not disappoint with a 46.82.

"Today was an all-around growing experience," Edwards said. "It was my first open 400m dash so I was completely out of my comfort zone. I had to get in my zone to perform well and not let my mind defeat what I came here to do. Secondly, I had to learn how to run the open 400 along with it still being my first indoor season. I tried to do everything Coach Ryan told me to do for proper execution in my race."

Running in the same section as teammate Shaquille Howard, Edwards utilized his skills from the 200m dash, his typical event and one in which he has provisionally qualified for this year, to succeed in the 400m. By the time all results from the 23 runners had come in, Edwards and Howard went one and two respectively. Howard went 48.08 for a provisional qualifier.

"I knew I had to get out fast like I was running the 200m and be the first to the break-in line," Edwards said. "As I broke into lane one in first, I knew the race wasn't over yet. I could hear footsteps right behind me and, knowing Shaq's strength, I figured it was him, but didn't panic. As I went into the last curve I made my final move and kicked in the next gear to separate myself from the rest of the field. All I could think about was just to finish strong and not to get caught. I didn't even realize the separation I had made until I saw the rest of the times in my race."

With the mark, a new ART U program record, Edwards moves up to take the number one spot in the country in the 400m. His automatic qualifier for NCAA Nationals is the first for any Academy of Art track & field athlete this season.

"It felt really good to run 46.82 and even better to have run the fastest time in the nation," Edwards said. "It all hasn't set in yet and I just feel shocked, but excited and happy all at the same time. After today I have learned a little more about myself and what I'm capable of doing in this sport on top of being able to perform out of my comfort zone. There are great things to come this season, but my new goal is to take that 400m indoor national title along with the 200m!"

"This was Jordan's first ever open 400m race," Coach Ryan said. "What a break though! Especially for an athlete who once thought the 100m was his best race. I put this challenge in front of him and he owned it! It's amazing the results you get when young people don't run from challenges."

In the women's 400m, Moody was stellar yet again. Leading the first of five sections and a total of 33 athletes, Moody went 55.23 to claim first place overall. Though already a provisional qualifier in the event, the sophomore moved up to #3 in all of NCAA DII with a mark that was a full second better than her previous career best.

"Nervousness comes with the territory when it comes to a 400m, but regardless I knew I had to do work, it was my last meet until Nationals and I was trying to secure my spot I feel as though I definitely have," Moody said. "Hard work truly does pay off and being number three in the country is definitely a blessing, but come Nationals, I'm going for the title!"

"Keanna is starting to mature into a very consistent 400m runner," Coach Ryan said. "She seems to learn something from each race and that's a great thing to witness. Learning how to race is a maturity that so many athletes never aspire to; they just want to run. Keke wants to figure the race out and she just keeps getting better."

Both Edwards and Moody were part of the ART U foursomes who competed in the Distance Medley Relay on Friday where they perhaps foreshadowed Saturday's success. Edwards joined with Jack Nevins, Austin Esposito, and Nicolas Rifflard for a 10:17.18 (just shy of the program record) and #1 placement out of four teams competing. On the women's side, it was Harbison, Moody, Elizabeth Khuu, and McKaela Christenson who went 12:16.87 for a new Urban Knights record.

"Individually, Jordan Edwards and Keanna Moody were the stars of the show," Coach Ryan said. "I put together a very tough schedule for them and they both handled it very well. Both Jordan and Keke ran spectacular splits in the Distance Medley Relay on Friday night (47.0 and 53.8). We knew then that they were ready for a big day today."

More impressive team action was on display Saturday in the pair of Academy of Art 4x400m relays. The women's team (composed of Moody, Dominique Berry, Mistic Scott, and Dierra Haven) offered a 3:46.72 mark that rocketed the squad up to #2 in the entire country. They were first of 14 teams competing at SPIRE by almost a full 10 seconds and are fourth on the program's all-time list with numerous elite-level teams.

 "In the DMR, I was pretty nervous as it was my first time and I really wanted to help them make it to Nationals so, when I got the stick in third place, I knew it wasn't going to be easy," Moody said. "I just stayed relaxed, closed a 30 meter gap, and handed the baton off in first place with a split 53 and it felt great surprisingly!"

"All the relays ran well this weekend," Coach Ryan said. "It's not every meet you get three schools records and land #2 in the NCAA. Running good relays is a test of character. This weekend we showed that our character is evolving into something we will all be proud of in the very near future."

Carrying over confidence from a cross country season that saw her reach NCAA Regionals, Harbison broke through for a memorable performance in the 800m on Saturday. Going 2:16.47, the freshman from San Diego grabbed second place out of 27 runners, but more importantly, provisionally qualified herself for Nationals. She is the first ART U athlete to hit a provisional standard in the 800m.

The 60m dash saw strong times again from Ronald Spears, Jr. He began with a new career best of 6.92, taking first of 29 in the prelim. Then, in the finals, he offered another sub-7.00 performance with a 6.98 and captured second of the nine who had reached. On the women's side, volunteer assistant coach and representative of NIKE Vashti Thomas took first of 34 sprinters with a 7.67.

A time of 25.26 was solid enough to place Dinesha Bean first overall in the 200m dash. She bested 47 other individuals with teammate Dierra Haven not far behind in ninth place (25.74).

The distance crew had its share of individual success with Rifflard receiving second place of 33 for his 4:19.15 mark in the 1 mile. In the 3000m, Rifflard came back to take fourth of 32, going for a time that now serves as third on the program's all-time list (8:33.74). Nevins also finished among the upper third in that event (10th, 9:00.90). The women's 3000 saw Christenson swipe second of 23 with a 10:21.17 which is not only a personal best, but also the new ART U record.

Finally, Thomas was at it again in the 60m hurdles where she placed first of 27 in the prelim with an 8.22 time then dropped down to an 8.13 for first place in the 10-person final.

Just one more weekend of action remains for Academy of Art prior to NCAA DII Indoor Nationals in mid-March. On Feb. 21-23, ART U will send any who have qualified to the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships at University of New Mexico's Indoor Track Convention Center in Albuquerque and others to the Grand Valley State Tune Up in Allendale, MI.