National News

 March 2, 2013

Complete Results

LUBBOCK – The South Plains College (Texas) men's and women's track and field teams swept both team trophies at the NJCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships Saturday at the Texas Tech Athletic Training Center.  SPC has now won 30 national championships combined in men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, cross country, and half-marathon.

The Lady Texans scored 203 points, winning by 70 over Iowa Central Community College. The Texans took first place overall by a margin of 69 points, scoring 177 - well in front Iowa Central.

In all, the Texans claimed eight NJCAA event titles and also had 14 athletes garner All-American honors.  The Lady Texans, meanwhile, took nine event titles and also earned 14 All-American honors.

Vernon Norwood took down the NJCAA meet and SPC school records when he blazed to a time of 1:17.04 in the 600-meter run, breaking a meet record that has stood since 1999.

Steven Gayle, Daniel Harper, Dakarie McKinnie, and Norwood took down Barton County’s 2009 meet record in the final event of the day, the men’s 4x400-meter relay.  Norwood anchored the quartet to a season best time of 3:06.68.

Also breaking school records during the two-day meet were Shavez Hart (6.22, 55 prelim), Jarvis Gotch (25-02.50, long jump), Nelson Hampton (4,981 points, heptathlon), and Jackson Gray (59-03.00, weight throw). 

With the indoor season over, the SPC track teams will now gear up for their outdoor season, scheduled to begin March 23 with the UTEP Invitational in El Paso.  The Texans and Lady Texans have swept the last four national meets, including last May when SPC hosted in Levelland.  The Texan men will be seeking their seventh NJCAA Outdoor title in a row when the NJCAA Outdoor Championships roll around in May. 

South Plains College Sports Information contributed to this release. 

?AWARDS

NJCAA Men's Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year 
James Williams, Western Texas College

NJCAA Women's Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year
Jeff Becker, Butler CC, Kan. 

NJCAA Men's Indoor Track & Field Asst. Coach of the Year
Blaine Wiley, South Plains College, Texas

NJCAA Women's Indoor Track & Field Asst. Coach of the Year
James White, Butler CC, Kan. 

NJCAA Indoor T&F Championship Men's "Field Athlete of the Meet"
Pau Tonnesen, Mesa CC, Ariz. - Heptathlon champion (5331pts national record), Pole Vault Champion, 2nd Place in High Jump

NJCAA Indoor T&F Championship Men's "Track Athlete of the Meet"
Omar Johnson, Western Texas College - Champion in 200m , 400m

NJCAA Indoor T&F Championship Women's "Field Athlete of the Meet"
Latesha Bigby, Butler CC, Kan. - Champion in Pentathlon, 4th in Long Jump, 3rd in High Jump, 8th in Hurdles

NJCAA Indoor T&F Championship Women's "Track Athlete of the Meet"
Darroneshia Lott, South Plains College, Texas - Champion in 1000m, Mile, 3000m, and anchored DMR championship relay