2019 Boston University Last Chance Meet Results
BOSTON – Unleashing lifetime-bests, program records, nationally-significant times, and even one NCAA Division II all-time top 10 mark, Academy of Art track & field put forth a truly memorable day in the Boston University Last Chance Meet inside the Track & Tennis Center on Sunday. The men's 4x400m relay featured the sixth-fastest time ever run by a DII team while
Mobolade Ajomale added another Nationals automatic qualifier in the 200m, setting up what should be a thrilling postseason run.
"I was proud of the way the team fought today," said director of track & field/cross country
Kevin LaSure said. "Not everything went our way or as it was planned, but they just kept fighting and it turned into some pretty good results in the end. The team as a whole just competed hard throughout the entire meet from the distance events to the sprints to the field events even when things didn't go perfectly."
Capping the meet, the combination of
Christian Carter,
Roshard Williams,
Daquan Berry, and Ajomale put together the most impressive 4x400m relay the program has seen to date. At 3:10.07, the quartet not only set the program record by more than two seconds and hit the automatic qualification standard with the second-fastest time a team has run this season at the DII level, but the performance served as sixth-fastest in NCAA Division II history behind Saint Augustine's (3:08.21), Johnson C. Smith (3:09.17), Ashland (3:09.38), UMass Lowell (3:09.39), and Abilene Christian (3:09.46).
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In his final race before defending his 200m national title, Ajomale set the bar incredibly high. He emerged first of 75 competitors in Boston, but also took over the top spot in DII (by 0.35) with an automatic-qualifying 20.80 that was second only to his own 20.67 on the DII all-time record list. He completes the regular season ranked No. 1 in both the 60m and 200m as well as No. 4 in the 400m.
"Bolade is training really well right now and is probably in the best shape he has ever been in," said LaSure. "We still have a lot of work to do over these next two week to get ready for Nationals, but he definitely took a huge step in the right direction today and it is a true testament to the work he has put in all season."
The prelims of the 60m saw Ombretta Picciolie Minkue Meye run her fastest time of the year (7.54) for first of 15 competitors, but more importantly top 10 in the country and second all-time in ART U program history. Joined by Darria Matthias (7.69) in the final, Minkue Meye would take first of five there with a slightly slower 7.55. In the 200m, Minkue Meye and Matthias both turned in Nationals provisional times and season-bests, going 24.65 and 24.74 respectively.
"Ombretta had a great day, running season-bests in the 60m and 200m as well as her first 4x400 ever with a split of 55.80 helping the team earn a provisional qualifying time," said LaSure. "I was proud of the way the women competed today, we had six women run 25.24 or faster today."
A busy day for Minkue Meye had her also contribute to a strong 4x400m effort featuring Latavia Hawkins, Hava Turner, and Mia Avila. Their collective 3:47.84 was the top mark from an Academy of Art women's team this season and put them among the top 20 in the nation as Nationals provisional qualifiers.
"Both the men's and women's 4x400m relays ran well today and hopefully secured spots in the NCAA Championships," said LaSure. "The men's 4x400 was able to break the school record by over two seconds which is extremely impressive and to see them competing so hard for each other is special. The women's 4x400 ran over 14 seconds faster than we have run all season and put themselves in position at having a chance to qualify for the championships."
In both of her jump events, Camille Jouanno was only on the rise. In her first triple jump attempt of the day, she surpassed the Nationals automatic qualifying standard, soaring to a 41-0.25 (12.50m) while becoming just the second Urban Knight ever to go beyond 41 feet. The Communications & Media Technologies major is now ranked fourth in the country in the triple jump. Additionally, Jouanno achieved a season-best 19-0.5 (5.80m) to likely keep her among the top 20 in NCAA DII. She remains third in program history.
Dropping over a full second off his previous lifetime-best, Victor Moreau became the program's new record-holder in the 1000m with a 2:28.79. His talents were also on display in the distance medley relay where he combined with Charlie Messai, Grant Swinton, Freddie Hessian to go 10:02.55 for both fifth on the ART U all-time list and Nationals provisional qualification.
In his first collegiate action, Daniel Cortes Gonzalez made an instant impact in the high jump, setting a new program record with his clearance 6-8.75 (2.05m). It also put him among the country's top 30 with a Nationals provisional mark.
The 400m best time of Carter's career saw him go 48.17 for an 11th place finish out of 72 in the event. He rises to fourth on the all-time list, surpassing Roman Skovronski with the effort.
With its regular season now complete, Academy of Art will now await official word on which Urban Knights will earn qualification for the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships set to take place at Pitt State's Robert W. Plaster Center in Pittsburg, Kan.
