2013 Nebraska Tune-Up Results

Lincoln, NB -- Heading into the home stretch of meets before the NCAA Indoor Championships on Mar. 8-9, Academy of Art University Track & Field spent Friday's Nebraska Tune-Up having even more individuals provisionally qualify for the indoor season's finale. Among the top marks were those from both red-shirt freshman Shaquille Howard and junior Dinesha Bean in the 400m dash inside the Devaney Sports Center.

"This was an important meet for us," head coach Charles Ryan said. "We had some loose ends that needed to get cleaned up and we got that accomplished. It takes the pressure of a 'last chance meet' off the table for a few of our athletes who could use the rest before NCAAs."

One week after his new facility record at the Grand Valley State Big Meet, Howard was dominant once again Friday. This time, he posted a 47.71 in the 400m to claim 1st overall of 34 competitors. That makes it three of the program's top five marks which belong to Howard.

"It was important for Shaq to continue to work on his race tactics," Coach Ryan said. "He learns more with each opportunity and you can see he is really starting to figure out where he can take advantage of his strengths in his races. Tactics will be the key to his chances to win the 400m at NCAAs. He has the talent, he just needs to continue to learn how to put races together."

Fellow sprinter Jaylon Hicks matched his season-low in the 60m dash with a 6.87 and beat out a pair of opponents from Division I Nebraska for the 2nd spot overall out of 31. Hicks would also capture a new personal record in the 200m with a time of 22.30.

Temarius Walker shined in the 800m where he posted a 1:59.35 which was the second-lowest time ever run at Academy of Art.

The men also had a new program record in the 4x400m relay in which the team of Howard, Erik Piedad, Emil Tolliver, and Stephen Peevy hit a 3:19.42. This mark surpassed the previous top time set at the beginning of this season in the Jacksons Open & Multi's.

On the women's side, Bean followed up a very strong previous week at the Don Kirby Invitational with a new program record in the 400m. Her time of 55.11 was a provisional qualifier and elevated her to a new placement within all of NCAA Division II. Now sixth overall, Bean's mark was 3rd in the meet, but now ranks 6th overall in the country.

"Bean finally broke through in the 400m and ran at a level that we need her to be at," Coach Ryan said. "She ran a very savvy race, she always competes well when there is a lot on the line. Her performance at 400m is a huge key to our NCAA puzzle, so it's great to see her putting things together right on time."

Keanna Moody also stood out Saturday particularly in the 400m where she was just behind Bean. Moody picked up a 4th place finish with a time of 56.22 which now ranks third overall on the ART U all-time leaders list and was also a provisional qualifier.

"Keke continues to grow at an exponential rate," Coach Ryan said. "In the last two meets, she has dropped her 400m time from the mid 58's all the way down to low 56's. She has positioned herself right on the NCAA qualifying bubble as a true freshman which is amazing. I know she was really excited to run in her hometown in front of her whole family. She lived up to the moment and deliver two PR's. We will continue to lean on her for these kind of moments, I'm so excited for her and I can't wait to see what she does next."

With Nebraska the alma mater of former Director of Athletics Dr. Jamie Wiliams and also his current employer, this meet also served as a chance for him to witness the growth of a program he pioneered.

"Since we didn't have our own track to host a meet in San Francisco, I never got a chance to see the Urban Knight men and women compete in action during my tenure with the program," Dr. Williams said. "However, witnessing the speed and tenacity of these artist-athletes on my alma mater's track at the Devaney Center in Lincoln, Nebraska was worth the wait! What Charles Ryan has put together at the Division II level so quickly is beyond logic. Brianna Stewart and Chantel King are about to graduate in fashion and film, respectively, while competing for a National Championship. Shaquille Howard and Johnny Carter are set to poetically carry the men's program into national prominence for years to come. I am oh so proud of all involved in Academy of Art Track & Field. Go Urban Knights!!"

"We were very appreciative for the invitation to compete in such a great venue and against such an iconic program as the University of Nebraska," Coach Ryan said. "It was also the first time our Dr. Williams got to see us live and in person. He hired me to this position and I can only hope he was as proud of the performances as we were to represent his hard work in putting this whole thing together. The artists represented themselves very well and I hope opened up some eyes in the heartland."

Senior Vashti Thomas will be in action at the prestigious 106th Millrose Games this Saturday, Feb. 16 while the rest of the team returns to the track on Feb. 23 to compete in its first outdoor meet of the year at the Cal State Stanislaus Open Invitational.