INDIANAPOLIS, IN – The Winston-Salem State University Indoor Track & Field Program was rewarded for a great 2012 season with a number of Rams and Lady Rams student-athletes qualifying for the 2012 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field National Championships. For the second straight year, the Rams and Lady Rams will be represented on the national scene as they compete for national championships in their respective events.
“It’s definitely an improvement for us. Last year, we had just three student-athletes heading to nationals and now, we have six,” WSSU men’s and women’s indoor track & field head coach Inez Turner said. “The athletes and coaches here have worked hard and its an honor to be recognized, not just in our conference, but on a national level.”
Winston-Salem State senior sprinter Shanika Lamons will lead the way for the Lady Rams as she qualified for the women’s 60m dash as well as the women’s 200m dash. She qualified for the meet with a 7.61 in the women’s 60m dash and a 24.76 in the women’s 200m dash. She will have some company at the meet as the Lady Rams’ 4x400m relay team also qualified for the nationals with a 3:47.60 in their event.
Rams freshman sprinter Michael Neal was the only member of the men’s team to qualify for the indoor nationals. He qualified in the men’s 60m dash as well as the men’s 200m dash. Neal posted a 6.83 to qualify for the men’s 60m dash and a 21.78 in the men’s 200m dash.
“Coach [O’Neill] Wright and the rest of our staff have worked well with the talent that we have,” Turner added. “We have a lot of talent on this team, but we have done a lot to get them motivated to get to this level. And this shows that it pays off.”
The Rams and Lady Rams will take part in the 2012 NCAA Division II National Championship Meet will be held March 9-10 at Myers Field in Mankato, Minnesota. Minnesota State University-Mankato will serve as the host of the championships.
The complete list of qualifiers is available at: http://www.pttiming.com/page/show/474584. The NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championships will be streamed live on www.NCAA.com. For more information on Rams and Lady Rams track & field, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to www.WSSURams.com.