ROME, Ga. - The McMurry University track and field teams will be well-represented at this weekend's National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) outdoor championships. In all, the War Hawks' programs will send a combined 32 individuals, 15 women and 17 men, to the NCCAA championship meet being hosted by Shorter University this Friday and Saturday (May 13-14).
The McM women will have 23 individual and three relay entries in total. The War Hawk men will have 22 individual event competitors and three relay teams. Among the NCCAA's performance list entering the meet, McM women's thrower LaNissa Burns is the national leader in all three of her events: the shot put (45' 1.5"), discus (157' 2") and the hammer (176' 2").
The McMurry men have three field event competitors who also own the nation's top marks. In the high jump senior Jajuan Austin has a height of 6' 9.75" and Isaac Hamilton leads in the long jump at 24' 1.75". Parris - who himself was an five-time NCAA III national champion in the pole vault - will have the NCCAA's top two competitors in Grayson Morrow (16' 0.75") and Chris Veail (15' 11").
McMurry University's second-year head coach Brad Parris has laid out a very simple agenda for his team heading into the NCCAA championships.
"Our athletes are well-prepared for the competition that lies ahead this weekend," Parris said. "We've stressed two things: one, when you get back on the bus after the meet, know you left every last ounce of effort outside. Two, just have fun!
"If they can do these things, there will be plenty of accolades and awards."
Representing McMurry will be the following. Their event(s) are listed after their names:
Women (15):
Mary Affleck: 4x800m relay
Jill Bietendorf: 4x800m relay
Jessiah Broussard: 100 Hurdles, 400 Hurdles
LaNissa Burns: Shot Put*, Discus*, Hammer*
Shamaujae Crockett: 200m, High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump, 4x100, 4x400
Kirsten DeFrance: 800m, 4x400m, 4x800m
Bethany Everett: Hammer
Savannah Freeman: Pole Vault
Shelby Gordon: 400m, 4x400m (alternate)
Taylor Hall: 200m, 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Taleah Hereford: 800m, 4x800m
Alexiz Hunter: Discus
Kaila Shelfer: 100m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Shantel Thomas: 100 Hurdles, 400 Hurdles, 4x100m, 4x400m
Diamond Williams: 100m, Long Jump, Triple Jump, 4x100m (alternate)
Men (17):
Jajuan Austin: High Jump*
Michael Benoit: 1500m, 10,000m
Michael Brown: 400m, 4x400m, 4x100m (alternate)
Kole Bryan: 800m, 4x800m, 4x400m
Krystopher Campos: Shot Put, Discus
Derek Gainey: Long Jump, 4x100m
Isaac Hamilton: 200m, Long Jump*, Triple Jump, 4x100m, 4x400m
Damontrey House: High Jump
Keon Mays: 800m, 4x400m, 4x800m, 4x100m (alternate)
Ryan McBeth: 4x100m
Grayson Morrow: Pole Vault*
Garrison Railsback: Shot Put, Discus, Hammer
Joe-Michael Sanchez: 400m, 4x400m (alternate)
Ridge Smith: 800m, 4x800m
Tre Smith: 4x100m
Anthony Todd: 800m, 4x800m, 4x400m (alternate)
Chris Veail: High Jump, Pole Vault
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The McM women will have 23 individual and three relay entries in total. The War Hawk men will have 22 individual event competitors and three relay teams. Among the NCCAA's performance list entering the meet, McM women's thrower LaNissa Burns is the national leader in all three of her events: the shot put (45' 1.5"), discus (157' 2") and the hammer (176' 2").
The McMurry men have three field event competitors who also own the nation's top marks. In the high jump senior Jajuan Austin has a height of 6' 9.75" and Isaac Hamilton leads in the long jump at 24' 1.75". Parris - who himself was an five-time NCAA III national champion in the pole vault - will have the NCCAA's top two competitors in Grayson Morrow (16' 0.75") and Chris Veail (15' 11").
McMurry University's second-year head coach Brad Parris has laid out a very simple agenda for his team heading into the NCCAA championships.
"Our athletes are well-prepared for the competition that lies ahead this weekend," Parris said. "We've stressed two things: one, when you get back on the bus after the meet, know you left every last ounce of effort outside. Two, just have fun!
"If they can do these things, there will be plenty of accolades and awards."
Representing McMurry will be the following. Their event(s) are listed after their names:
Women (15):
Mary Affleck: 4x800m relay
Jill Bietendorf: 4x800m relay
Jessiah Broussard: 100 Hurdles, 400 Hurdles
LaNissa Burns: Shot Put*, Discus*, Hammer*
Shamaujae Crockett: 200m, High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump, 4x100, 4x400
Kirsten DeFrance: 800m, 4x400m, 4x800m
Bethany Everett: Hammer
Savannah Freeman: Pole Vault
Shelby Gordon: 400m, 4x400m (alternate)
Taylor Hall: 200m, 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Taleah Hereford: 800m, 4x800m
Alexiz Hunter: Discus
Kaila Shelfer: 100m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Shantel Thomas: 100 Hurdles, 400 Hurdles, 4x100m, 4x400m
Diamond Williams: 100m, Long Jump, Triple Jump, 4x100m (alternate)
Men (17):
Jajuan Austin: High Jump*
Michael Benoit: 1500m, 10,000m
Michael Brown: 400m, 4x400m, 4x100m (alternate)
Kole Bryan: 800m, 4x800m, 4x400m
Krystopher Campos: Shot Put, Discus
Derek Gainey: Long Jump, 4x100m
Isaac Hamilton: 200m, Long Jump*, Triple Jump, 4x100m, 4x400m
Damontrey House: High Jump
Keon Mays: 800m, 4x400m, 4x800m, 4x100m (alternate)
Ryan McBeth: 4x100m
Grayson Morrow: Pole Vault*
Garrison Railsback: Shot Put, Discus, Hammer
Joe-Michael Sanchez: 400m, 4x400m (alternate)
Ridge Smith: 800m, 4x800m
Tre Smith: 4x100m
Anthony Todd: 800m, 4x800m, 4x400m (alternate)
Chris Veail: High Jump, Pole Vault
More...