STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The LIU Brooklyn track & field teams participated in the Fastrack Last Chance meet on Saturday in the pursuit to post automatic qualifying times for the NCAA Indoor Championships. The top-24 times in each event automatically qualify the individual to compete at the national championships. At the conclusion of the 2015-2016 regular indoor season, the top-50 times in the nation will have spots at the collegiate indoor championships held in Birmingham, Alabama.
In his rookie season with the Blackbirds, Caleb Williams sought to make it to the post-season championships in the 60-meter dash, where he placed second in the event at the Northeast Conference Championships behind defending champion and teammate Brendon Rodney. Williams recorded 6.87 at the last chance meet, just over the 6.72 NCAA cutoff time.
Three Blackbirds took their final shot at punching their tickets to Alabama in the 200-meter dash, each finishing in the top-10 at the meet. The qualifying cap was set at 21.22 based on the 50 best times in the nation. Seniors Tyler Cue and Tyquan Dukes fell just short of qualification for the championships, clocking 21.56 and 22.06, respectively. Junior Delano Davis placed tenth at the last chance meet, but was also over the qualifying time, crossing the line at 22.28.
In his inaugural season at LIU, Roderick Moodie made his mark earlier this year, setting a new school record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.02. On Saturday, the freshman turned in a time of 8.08. Both times were over the 7.93 time held by the Georgia hurdler in the 50th and final qualifying spot for the event.
Senior Gabriella Ade-Onojobi gave a valiant effort in her attempt to meet the competitive qualifying time of 8.35 for the women's 60-meter hurdles. The reigning NEC champion came in second place on Saturday with her time of 8.68, but was unable to make it into the top-50 nationally.
The LIU men's 4x400 relay team of Rodney, Deshawne Bunion, Mica-Jonathan Petit Homme and Alistair McLean dominated the field on Saturday, crossing the finish line by more than 11 seconds ahead of second place. The team's time of 3:10.54 was less than one second behind the final NCAA Indoor Championship qualification time.
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Brendon Rodney still holds the best time in the 200-meter dash (20.46) and his time of 46.62 in the 400-meter dash qualifies the senior to compete in two events at the NCAA Indoor Championships, which will be held at Stamford University in Birmingham, Alabama on March 9-12. The Blackbirds will begin their outdoor season at the Coastal Carolina Invite starting on Thursday, March 3 in Myrtle Beach, S.C.