2015 NCAA Division II National Championships Results (Day 1)

ALLENDALE, Mich. – Academy of Art University track & field opened the first of three days at the NCAA Division II National Championships with six Urban Knights from four different events reaching Saturday's finals. The men's 4x100m relay team started the day off with a fourth-place finish followed by qualifiers Valentin Pepiot in the 1500m, Keanna Moody in the 400m, and Jordan Edwards in the 400m as well.

"It was a really good first day," said interim head coach Torrey Olson. "Not everyone advanced in all of their events, but everyone who competed today advanced in something."

In the second event after the National Anthem, ART U sent Marlon Britton, Edwards, Alexander McNally, and Shaquille Howard into the first heat of the 4x100m relay. The quartet combined for their best time of the season, going 40.45 to snag second place in their heat and the auto-qualifier to the finals. The mark wound up fourth overall in the prelims and was third on the program's all-time list.

The 1500m prelims saw Pepiot contend with the front of the pack throughout what was a dominant first heat. He posted a 3:53.13 mark that qualified him through to the finals out of a group that had eight of nine runners make it through.

Moody showed her speed in the women's 400m dash prelims, blazing to a 54.72 down the stretch. She remained strong in the first of three heats, closing hard and taking fifth overall. Moody placed ahead of Quanera Hayes (Livingstone), Angela Mongitore (Adelphi), and Briana Fells (Shippensburg) in a heat that qualified over half of its participants. Moody was also in a challenging group for the 400m hurdles where she finished 1:02.36, but did not reach the finals.

On the men's side of the 400m, defending indoor and outdoor champion Jordan Edwards won his heat and captured an automatic qualifier for Saturday's final. He posted a 47.48, running like the veteran that he has proven himself to be. Shaquille Howard was also in action, but did not finish.

Academy of Art will be in action in the men's 200m (Jordan Edwards) and the women's 4x400m (Mistic Scott, Schae Graham, Chante Sneed, Keanna Moody) tomorrow back at Grand Valley State's LAX Field/Track Complex.