2017 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships Results (Final)
BRADENTON, Fla. – On the final day of the 2017 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, Academy of Art University crowned individual champion
Mobolade Ajomale in the 100m before adding All-Americans in the men's 400m hurdles (
Quinlan Wright), men's 200m (Ajomale), and women's 4x400m relay (
Marion Presigny,
Mistic Scott,
Jasmine Grace,
Schae Graham). A hot afternoon and evening out at IMG Academy on Saturday served as the grand finale to the Urban Knights' 2017 campaign.
Ajomale backed up his dominant performance in the 100m prelims on Thursday with an even more impressive final Saturday. The sophomore fought off Shorter's Lester Miller down the stretch to capture his first outdoor title while posting a new program record 10.17 in the process. Miller followed at 10.19, but the difference meant Ajomale's fourth individual championship in his two-year career across indoor and outdoor seasons with ART U. His first honor was the indoor
60m as a freshman in 2016 then the Richmond Hill, Canada native added consecutive
60m and 200m indoor titles earlier this year.
In the men's 400m hurdles, Wright closed out his collegiate career with his first-ever All-American honor. He scored one point for Academy of Art with his eighth-place finish by way of a 52.37 mark. Just over three seconds separated him from champion Shawn Rowe of St. Augustine's who turned in a 49.42.Â
After sustaining an injury in the 100m just over an hour prior, Ajomale returned for the 200m where he attempted to run. Unfortunately, the injury was too severe and, after pulling up just after the curve, was forced to walk gingerly across the line. By finishing the event he would still earn an All-American honor, the ninth in his career, and the fourth of his sophomore season.
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The last event Academy of Art had to contest was the women's 4x400m relay which saw the Urban Knights in sixth 800m in. Though they would move up to fifth after the second handoff, strong anchor legs from the leaders to that point made it a 0.40 difference between sixth and seventh where ART U resided at the race's finish. They would hoist trophies for the second consecutive season, finishing 3:42.35.
With the day's final event complete, the Academy of Art men's team ended up 19th overall with 12 total points by way of three All-American trophies (100m, 200m, 400mH).
The women's team tied for 50th with four total points on their All-American honors in two events (heptathlon, 4x400m).
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