GOLDEN BULLS TRACK MEN MOVE TO 8TH AND THE WOMEN REMAIN IN 6TH IN USTFCCA POLL

GOLDEN BULLS TRACK MEN MOVE TO 8TH AND THE WOMEN REMAIN IN 6TH IN USTFCCA POLL

February 22, 2011

New Orleans, LA – Towards the conclusion of the NCAA Division II indoor track & field season, the Johnson C. Smith University women's and men's track and field teams are ranked amongst the top 25 by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The JCSU women's team remains ranked 6^th (113.76 points) and the men’s team elevates from 9^th to 8^th (81.27 points). Individuals are well on their way to qualify for the national championships which will be held on March 12-13 in Albuquerque, N.M.

Johnson C. Smith just improved their times at the Clemson Tiger Tune-up over the weekend. On the women's side, freshman Danielle Williams (St. Andrew, Jamaica) won the 60m dash final in 7.59. Junior Monique Kelly (St. Andrew, Jamaica) finished 5th in 7.71 and senior Lakaevia Tyler (Miami, FL) took 7th in 7.77.

Senior Shermaine Williams (St. Andrew, Jamaica) placed 1st overall in the 60 hurdles with a season best time of 8.24; still joint first in the nation. The 4x400m team of freshman Sasha-Gay Cunningham, Monique Kelly, Lakaevia Tyler, Naffene Briscoe won 1st with a time of 3:49.46, and moved up to No. 5 in the national ranking.

For the men, Gabriel Franklin (Casselberry, FL) ran a 6.99 in the 60m dash final for 8th place. Senior Leford Green (St. Catherine, Jamaica) claimed 1st in the 400m in a time of 47.96. Junior Andre Collins (Kingston, Jamaica) won 2nd in the 60m hurdles in 8.11.

For the first time, Division II's computer rankings this year were calculated using a mixture of best marks from the current and previous season. As customary using this procedure, fourth week rankings calculated and released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) use data only from the current season (with exception of combined events) to formulate a team's ranking score.

The purpose and methodology of the national team computer rankings is to create an index that showcases the teams that have the best potential of achieving the top spots in the national-title race – not as a method to compare teams head-to-head.

How a team fares in a national championship, conference championship, or scored meet with only a couple or few teams (like a dual or triangular) can be very different, given the number of events, competition, scoring, and makeup of entries -- thus the rationale behind each of the ranking systems. Similar arguments about team makeup and rankings can also be found in swimming & diving and wrestling as their sports also have a similar trichotomy when it comes to team theory.

Select Golden Bulls will participate in the Virginia Tech Last Chance meet held March 4-5th in Blacksburg, VA in improve their times and chances of qualifying for the 2011 NCAA DII Indoor Championships.