Several Firebirds Named to USTFCCCA All-Region Team

NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) has named All-Region honorees for outdoor track & field in Division II, and the University of the District of Columbia has seven representatives on the East Region Team.

The top five from each region in individual events and each member of a relay ranked in the region's top three have earned the All-Region distinction for the 2012 outdoor season. A total of 1,274 athletes receive 1,854 USTFCCCA All-Region nods. The USTFCCCA regions match those used for NCAA Cross Country Championships.

Representing District of Columbia are the four members from the third ranked 4x100M relay team in the East Region: Atiya Amis, Tatyana Commock, Shauna-Kay Creary and Kaydian Jones; the No. 4 ranked shot putter in the region, Areial Clark, and the top-two respective 400M dash sprinters in the region, Kaneesha Hollis and Callister Jones.

Hollis, who ran a season-best time of 55.74 at the Johnson C. Smith Invitational, finished ranked 32nd in the nation. Callister Jones also ran her best time of 56.14 at Johnson C. Smith. This dynamic duo proved to be the most formidable pair of 400M sprinters in the East Region, often finishing 1st and 2nd in their heats. The 4x100M team also had its breakout race at Johnson C. Smith where it clocked a season-best time of 48.3. Clark had her shining moment at the Colonial Relays back on April 5th when she tossed a season-best 13.13M. That afternoon she finished 2nd of 22 competitors.

The 2012-13 cross country and indoor/outdoor track season look promising with head coach Alton McKenzie returning several athletes from this past season - which was one of the most successful in the program's history.