Three Stanislaus State field event specialists are heading to Florida for the 2017 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the IMG Academy in Bradenton. The NCAA released the official qualifiers list on Tuesday.
Gary Randolph will be heading back to the facility where he captured three All-American trophies a year ago. This time, Randolph is competing in the hammer throw after suffering an injury on his second throw of the season back in February. His first and only throw was 203 feet, 2 inches, which had put him in the top 5 all season long. He will enter the championship meet at No. 8 (61.92 meters). The top mark this season is by Jordan Crayon of Ashland (69.87).
Ryan Pust, the CCAA pole vault champion, will compete in the event as the 15th seeded athlete with a seasonal best of 5.05-meters. He hopes to become the first Stan State male pole vault All-American since Caleb Montecalvo in 2013. Sian Morgan was a 2014 All-American on the women's list. The top height this season was posted by Central Missouri's Cole Phillips (5.31m).
Lindsay McKee, the CCAA women's hammer champion, returns to nationals since her appearance in 2015 in Allendale, Mich. She sat out the 2016 season before becoming the CCAA champion in 2017. Her 2017 top mark was 58.09m (April 6), which ranks her 11th on the performance list. Mel Herl of Chadron State is the top rank thrower with a 63.62m.
All three Warriors will compete in the final round of their events on May 25.
Stan State athletes receive All-Region honors
Seven Stanislaus State track and field athletes and two baseball players received All-Region awards.
Gary Randolph led the way with three All-Region track and field nods, as announced by the United States Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), for hammer throw, shot put and discus, making him a nine-time All-Region winner in his three-year Stan State career. Also for hammer throw, Eric Bejaran, Lindsay McKee and Breanna Lowther all earned the award for 2017 as well.
A student-athlete is named to the USTFCCCA All-Region teams by having a top five mark in his or her event (or be on a relay team with top three times) within the region. In all the coaches associated honored 671 men from 144 different institutions and 621 women from 147 institutions on the All-Region teams.
Also named to the All-Region team from Stanislaus State are first time winners Ryan Pust for men's pole vault, Terrence Gladney for men's 200-meter dash and Nicholas Johnson for 100-meter dash.
The first two Division II All-Region lists for baseball were released this week, by both the Conference Commissioners Association in conjunction with CoSIDA and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
Stanislaus’ Nick Voumard received first-team honors and Jordan Kron was a second team selection on the D2CCA list. Voting was conducted by the NCAA Division II Sports Information Directors from institutions and conference offices.
On the NCBWA list, Voumard was a second team winner while Kron got honorable mention.
Voumard, an All-CCAA first team pick who led the nation with 15 saves, is the first Warrior to receive an All-Region first team honor since 2012 when All-American Eli Davis snagged the award. Voumard posted a 2.22 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings in 21 appearances. Kron went 8-4 with a team best 2.13 ERA as the pitching ace became the first Warrior to record consecutive 8-win seasons.
The American Baseball Coaches Association will be naming its Al-Region teams later this month.
