ACU to host national meet

Division II outdoor meet back in Abilene for first time since 1993

ABILENE -- Abilene Christian University's Elmer Gray Stadium will host the NCAA Division II outdoor track and field championships, May 26-28, the second time the school has hosted the best track and field athletes in Division II.

ACU last hosted the NCAA Division II national championship meet in 1993 when St. Augustine's (N.C.) won the men's team championship and Alabama A&M won the women's title.  ACU, which has won 52 national track and field championships (47 at the NCAA Division II level), was the runner-up that year in both the men's and women's races.

The ACU men -- who have won 31 national track and field championships, including 26 at the Division II level -- cruised to the indoor team championship last weekend, and will be among the favorites to win the outdoor team title.  St. Augustine's won the women's title last weekend, and will be among the favorites to win the outdoor title, along with defending outdoor champion Lincoln (Mo.) and ACU.

The ACU men have won three straight outdoor team titles and seven of the last nine, while Lincoln has won the last two women's titles.  Prior to those two titles won by Lincoln, St. Augustine's had won three straight and four of six.  St. Augustine's men's and women's teams are coached by George Williams, who was the head track and field coach for the United States men's team at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

Fans can purchase tickets for the outdoor championship meet at the gate for $8 (adults) and $5 (students) on Thursday and Friday, and for $10 (adults) and $7 (students) on championship Saturday.  Fans can also purchase a three-day pass for $20.  Children ages 12 and under will get into the meet for free all three days.  For more information on the meet, the Web site address is www.acu.edu/tracknationals.html.

ACU's Elmer Gray Stadium is no stranger to hosting national competitions.  The 1960 U.S. Olympic Trials for women were run at the stadium, and featured a young Wilma Rudolph as the showcase athlete.  The stadium has also hosted NAIA men's national meets in 1978, 1979 and 1980, as well as the USA Track and Field southwest region youth championship meet in 1997.

Celebrated U.S. athletes such as Rudolph, Michael Johnson and Antonio Pettigrew have run on the track at Elmer Gray Stadium, and future NFL Hall of Fame cornerback Darrell Green still owns the stadium record in the 100 meters (10.08 set in 1983 when he was running for Texas A&I, which is now Texas A&M-Kingsville).  Former NFL defensive lineman Russell Carter still owns the stadium record in the shot put (66 feet, 4.0 inches), a mark he established as a high school athlete at Dallas (TX) Jefferson High School in 1979.