SAN FRANCISCO – Over a campaign that saw the Urban Knights produce seven All-Americans and one NCAA individual champion, Academy of Art University track & field set a total of 19 school records (nine indoor, 10 outdoor) in 2015.

"The 2015 season saw the track and field team take a step forward as a program, highlighted by the program's best finish for the men indoors," said interim head coach Torrey Olson. "Though we were represented well by our veteran athletes like Keanna Moody and Jordan Edwards, the story that not everybody saw was one of a mostly young team working on building its identity. That process never comes without adversity, but with the largest group of returners we've ever had heading into the 2015-16 year, I can't wait to see what these athletes will do with the experience they have now accumulated."

ART U's indoor season began in mid-January with the Boise State Ed Jacoby Invitational & Multi's where 400m races by Keanna Moody and Jordan Edwards along with Marlon Britton's 60m hurdles took the spotlight. One week later at back-to-back meets hosted by University of Alabama-Birmingham, Edwards dropped a new program record in the 200m while Atiya Harvey posted NCAA provisional marks in the 60m and 200m dash. The month of February then began with more personal records by Edwards and Moody at the New Mexico Classic on Feb. 6-7.

Mid-February saw Academy of Art go bi-coastal at Boston University's David Hemery Valentine Invitational and University of Washington's Husky Classic. On the women's side in Boston, Mistic Scott delivered a PR in the 400m while McKaela Christenson offered a program-best in the 5000m. The men's Boston crew featured another 60mH school record from Britton as well as four provisional qualifiers (Roman Skovronski, James Steptoe, Asa Guevarra, Shaquille Howard) in the 400m dash. However, it was the events in Washington that stole the show as the quartet of Mack Marbas, Edwards, Austin Murray, and Valentin Pepiot took home a provisional mark in the distance medley relay and Edwards returned to the country's #1 in the 400m.

"The men's DMR winning the Husky Classic was another big highlight for this team," said Olson. "Unfortunately, they narrowly missed out on qualifying for NCAAs in that race, but they competed aggressively against a good field. To me it was a preview of what is to come for that relay in the future."


As excitement began to build toward NCAA Indoor Nationals, the Urban Knights had several memorable performances come at the Nebraska Tune-Up on Feb. 20. It was there in Lincoln that Britton put forth his best time of the season in the 60mH, the women's 4x400m relay (Scott, Chante Sneed, Schae Graham, Moody) pushed to the top mark in the country, and the men's 4x400m (Skovronski, Edwards, Steptoe, Howard) dropped a new program record. On the day of the Seattle Pacific Final Qualifier (Feb. 28) where Skovronski came away with a PR in the 400m, ART U simultaneously started its outdoor season in Turlock with the Cal State Stanislaus Open.

Back to Birmingham for NCAA Indoor Nationals, the Knights' weekend was capped by Edwards' individual championship in the 400m, his program record in the 200m dash, Moody's All-American honor in the 400m, and the men's 4x400m All-American performance. At 24.00 collective points, this is the men's team posted their highest finish ever in a National Championship, claiming eighth overall.

"At Indoor Nationals, the one-two punch of Jordan's individual performances (getting the win in the 400m and returning with a strong third in the 200m) followed by a huge run on anchor by Shaquille Howard in the men's 4x400m relay was a huge moment of pride for us," said Olson. "With three hard races in a row, Jordan was hurting heading into the relay, but he gave his best effort for the team. And Shaq stepped up when it mattered to bring the team home for their highest NCAA finish in that event."

Following a second trip to Stanislaus on Mar. 7 with a full roster, ART U moved into its outdoor season with two meets, the Sacramento State Hornet Invitational and SF State's Johnny Mathis Invite, on Mar. 21. At Sac State, Britton posted a program record in the 110m hurdles and Edwards did not miss a beat in his first competition since Indoor Nationals, provisionally qualifying in the 100m dash. He was the first of many as seven more provisional marks came at the San Diego State Aztec Invitational on Mar. 28.

The start of April brought another local meet, the SF State Distance Carnival, as well as the prestigious UCLA Legends Invitational. Marbas' program record in the 3000m steeplechase highlighted the San Francisco event and Moody had her best day in the 400m hurdles in Los Angeles. At Arizona State's Sun Angel Classic on Apr. 11, Edwards rocketed to #1 in the country in both the 400m and 200m for a memorable night under the lights.

One week later, ART U simultaneously competed in three different meets, most notably the Mt. SAC Relays which featured Scott's personal record in the 400m, second only to Moody on the all-time list. At Azusa Pacific's Bryan Clay Invitational that same day, Kaelyn Harbison PR'ed in the 800m and 1500m, setting a program record in the former. As the month drew to a close, Academy of Art saw a season-best by the men's 4x400m relay team at the Drake Relays and more PRs at a pair of Cal meets. The regular season then wrapped up back in San Francisco with Edwards' 100m PR and Pepiot's 1500m school record at the University of San Francisco Last Chance Meet on May 9.

The Knights would have to wait nearly two weeks before they were back for NCAA Outdoor Nationals in Allendale, Michigan on the campus of Grand Valley State. Academy of Art would come away with a total of four All-Americans in a pair of events. Moody's performance in the 400m earned her the eighth trophy of her career and the men's 4x100m relay (Britton, Edwards, Alexander McNally, Howard) set a new program record the day before becoming All-Americans.

Having garnered over 60 NCAA Division II All-American trophies over the past three years while carrying two talented rosters, Academy of Art University track & field looks to continue building on its success.

"The next step for ART U is to establish consistency near the top of Division II," said Olson. "I think we're right around the corner from that being a reality. We have the experience in our returners combined with the talent in our recruiting class to set our sights on big things next year. Getting even better at focusing on the little things every day will get us there."