Albuquerque, NM — It was a record-breaking and exciting weekend for the Monroe Mustangs men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams as they competed in the 2015 NJCAA Indoor Track and Field National Championships at the Albuquerque Convention Center in New Mexico on March 6 and 7.
They generated impressive results, while history was made on three fronts: Sophomore Ronaldo Ball was presented with the Atlantic Region Indoor Track Athlete of the Year Award; eight-year assistant track coach Shirvon Greene was named Atlantic Region Indoor Men’s & Women’s Assistant Track & Field Coach of the Year; and the Mustang men’s team finished fourth overall, their highest ranking in the program’s history.
Numerous Mustangs achieved All-American status and one of Monroe’s best performances came in the form of a first-place finish in the men’s 1000m run. The much-anticipated men’s race featured top-ranked Ronaldo Ball and teammate Mpho Makofane, who ran neck-and-neck through much of the race. Ball pulled away in the last 150 meters to secure his first-place finish in 2:29.56, while Makofane came in sixth with a time of 2:32.43.
The meet touched off with the distance medley relay on Friday afternoon, which saw the Monroe men’s team of Mpho Makofane, Tresean Goodwin, Alexshandro Rodriguez, and Katleho Dyoyi finish fifth in a time of 10:20.46.
Sophomore Mark Ramsey also achieved fifth place in the shotput with a throw of 16.45m (53.11′); Jovan Swaby finished fifth in the high jump with a new school record of 2.11m (6″11) and Katleho Dyoyi finished sixth in the men’s 3000m with a time of 8:52.66.
On Saturday, the final day of competition, Team Mustang was featured in 12 events with the following results:
South African Sophomore Sabelo Ndlovu finished second in the triple jump, launching himself 15.48m (50’09”).
Christopher Belcher placed fifth in the 60m dash, breaking the school record in the prelims with a time of 6.76; he also placed fifth in the 200m dash while equaling his school record of 21.42.
Walter Penate placed seventh in the 60m hurdles, also surpassing the previous school record in the prelims with a time of 8.05.
Alexshandro Rodriguez placed 8th in the men’s 800m, with a time of 2:03.75.
The men’s 4x800m team Damon Daniels, Ronaldo Ball, Shea Coltrain and Javaun Grant ) finished 8th overall with a time of 8:01.04
The men’s 4x400m team, comprising Tresean Goodwin, Khaleef Gravesande ,Damon Daniels and Walter Penate, finished 8th overall with a time of 3:16.10
The women’s 4x400m team, consisting of Atara Segree, Jaydean Joseph, Jrenda Rivera and Chelsea Edwards, finished 7th overall with a time of 3:53.08
In all, the Mustangs brought home 20 All-American certificates, the most ever captured by the squad.
Other notable performances included:
Denesha Ransome set a new school record in the women’s 60m, with a time of 7.65.
Ksenia Safanova set a personal best in the women’s weight throw, with a distance of 14.48m.
Jaydean Joseph had an inspiring run in both the 200m and 400m dashes, achieving times of 25.26 and 59.11 respectively.
Atara Segree ran a time of 3:09.54 in the women’s 1000m preliminaries, narrowly missing out on bronze.
Jayvona Mc Daniel completed a very impressive leg in the women’s distance medley, in addition to the 1000m.
Teena Mobley turned out a solid 5.28m effort in the women’s long jump.
Chelsea Edwards and J’renda Rivera’s participation in the women’s 400m, with finish times of 58.51 and 59.46 respectively.
Katleho Dyoyi’s second-place finish, with a time of 4:25.10 in the men’s mile run.
Damon Daniels, Tresean Goodwin and Javaun Grant in the men’s 600m (1:22.23, 1:23:12 and 1:23.12 respectively).
Fabeon Tucker’s very respectable 16.50m in the men’s weight throw.
“The men and women gave the college community much to be proud of,” said Coach Hogg.” They competed at a high level, and earned our Blue and Gold a renewed sense of respect and admiration. Our athletes are constantly striving to be the best they can be, and that focus was evident at the nationals.”
The Mustangs will now take a brief, well-deserved breather and commence preparation for a high-flying outdoor season.