The Alabama State University Men’s Indoor Track and Field program captured their fifth consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference championship, Thursday, Feb. 25 at the Birmingham Crossplex.
At the conclusion of the meet, Ritchie Beene was named the Coach of the Year on the men’s side, with Caesar Kemp and Marcus Cade sharing Most Outstanding Field Performers after scoring 18 points each.
ASU was able to pull away from the field with 164 points, 34.5 points ahead of second place Prairie View A&M University. Ulyesses Grace captured the conference title in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.04 seconds, winning one of seven titles for the Hornets on the night. Also, on the track, Matthew Clarke claimed the 200-meter championship with a time of 21.38 seconds and Duvaire Wauchope claimed the 800-meters with a time of 1:55.19.
In the field events, the Hornets were able to capture a pair of titles with Cedric Jones winning the pole vault with a height of 4.20 meters, and Kemp won the shot put with a throw of 15.72 meters.
Alabama State swept the relay competition, winning the 4×400-meter relay with a time of 3:18.95 and the distance medley in a time of 10:17.01.
Alabama State also had several student-athletes reach the medal stand in their events including David East (third in the 60-meters and second in the 200), Kevin Smith (second in the 800), Ricky Thornton (second in the 800), Smith (third in 1-mile run), Abdi Hussein (second in 3000 and third in 5000), and Cade (second in high jump).
Hussein reached the medal stand in two different events in two of the fastest races in SWAC history, as a group of runners to top the previous fastest time in the events in conference history.