Abilene Christian Men, Women Sweep the Field

With a team that will go down as one of the most dominant in collegiate track and field history, Abilene Christian turned Saturday night’s NCAA Division II national championships into a dual meet before an estimated crowd of 1,500 at UC Riverside.

By running away to easy victories in the men’s and women’s team races, the Wildcats became the first college program at any level to complete a sweep at the indoor and outdoor championships in the same school year.

“This is definitely my proudest moment,” said Abilene Christian Coach West Kittley, whose Wildcat teams have won a combined 14 titles. “This is something that has been put on our blackboard as a goal for a long time. It’s so pleasing for us to look so sharp at this time of year. It’s the best we’ve been all season.”

In the men’s team race, Abilene Christian ended St. Augustine’s seven-year streak as champion with 149 points. The Wildcats won eight events to easily distance themselves from St. Augustine’s 77 1/2 points and Angelo State’s 58 1/2. Cal State Los Angeles was fourth with 52.

Abilene Christian winners Satuday were Dontra Boykins in the 100 meters, Robert Guy in the 400, Jason Pearce in the pole vault and the Wildcats’ 400- and 1,600-meter relay teams.

Cal State L.A. had two first-place finishers in Jonathon Jordan, who won the triple jump with a leap of 53 feet 1 3/4 inches, and Tambi Wenj, who won the shotput at 63-5.

After trailing Cal State L.A. going into the final day of the three-day meet, Abilene Christian’s women’s team completed a near flawless effort with six champions, including three by freshmen, to finish with 136 points.

St. Augustine’s finished second with 86 and Cal State L.A. was third with 54.