Men Inside Top 20 in USTFCCA Ranking
William Penn University Athletics
Oskaloosa–With nationals on the horizon, the Statesmen men’s indoor track and field team is in position to make a big impact on the standings as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association released its fourth ranking today.
WPU has moved up to a best-ever 18th with 62.72 points as national qualifiers Alex Edwards (Sr., Knoxville, Iowa, Elementary Education) and Cornelius McCastle (So., McKinney, Texas, Industrial Technology) continue to pick up huge points.
Edwards has now qualified in four events (400, 600, 800, and 1,000-meter runs) and has earned 37.34 points for the navy and gold. McCastle’s production has improved to 17.66 points in the high and triple jumps. Edwards ranks second in the 600 and eighth in the 800, while McCastle is still fifth in the high jump.
Versatile Romel Marzette (Jr., Oskaloosa, Iowa) is currently good for 1.81 points in the triple jump, long jump, and 60-meter dash, while CJ Watts (Jr., Rockville, Md.) has gathered 0.17 points in the 400 and 600. The team’s 4×400-meter relay crew has collected 0.10 points as well.
Throwers Derek Seddon (So., Knoxville, Iowa, Physical Education) (4.84 points, weight throw and shot put) and Kalob Gist (Jr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Business Management) (0.38 points, shot put) are also point-getters for the Statesmen.
The NAIA’s top five remains unchanged with Indiana Tech still first with 444.13 points, while Doane (Neb.) has creeped up a bit but still a distant second with 290.03 points. Wayland Baptist (Texas), Concordia (Neb.), and Oklahoma Baptist round out the top five.
Grand View is the Midwest Collegiate Conference’s next team, ranking #25 with 54.95 points.
The Statesmen women notched two national qualifiers last weekend, but still fell off a bit, down to #87 with 0.86 points. Meaghan Foster (Jr., Centerville, Iowa, Undecided) has claimed 0.68 points in the shot put and weight throw, while Tarah Alexander (Jr., Cedar, Iowa, Physical Education) now has 0.13 points in the 800-meter run. Raveen Rhone (Sr., Los Angeles, Calif., Biology) has picked up 0.05 points in the triple jump.
Indiana Tech leads the women’s rankings with 411.69 points, while Doane (Neb.), Wayland Baptist (Texas), Oklahoma Baptist, and Cornerstone (Mich.) finish off the top five.
Grand View is topping the MCC in 23rd with 54.19 points.
The complete men’s and women’s rankings can be found at http://www.ustfccca.org/assets/rankings/naia/2015-itf/NAIA_2015_indWk4_TF_NationalRankingsByTeam.pdf
William Penn will try to qualify a few more individuals for nationals at last chance meets this weekend.
