NEW ORLEANS - The United States Track and Field
and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) officially
announced its Division III Track and Field All-Americans and three
Salisbury University student-athletes were honored.
Juniors Cory Beebe, Brandon
Fugett and Delannie Spriggs were all
named All-American for their performances at the 2009 NCAA Division
III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Marietta, Ohio, from
May 21-23. The three honorees up the men's track and field program
total to 16 All-Americans.
Beebe garnered All-American honors for his performance in the
400-meter hurdles, an event which he won and was named national
champion. The Medina, Ohio, native ran the fastest 400-meter hurdle
time in Division III this season as he crossed the finish line with
a time of 51.28 seconds. Beebe's time sets a new SU school record
and a Don Drumm Stadium record. Coincidently, the previous stadium
record was held by Beebe when he ran for Heidelberg College.
Beebe's old stadium record was 53.24 seconds set on May 13,
2006 when Beebe was a freshman. This is Beebe's third All-American
honor in this event as he garnered two honors while at Heidelberg.
"That's part of the reason I came out here. I was saying I felt
that this was going to be my best chance to come out here and win a
national championship, with Coach Lucas. That was a big draw for
me," said Beebe, who transferred last year to follow SU coach Kevin
Lucas from Heidelberg to Salisbury. "That's been one of my career
goals to do, so it was real special to come out here with him,
especially since he recruited me."
Fugett was named an All-American for his performance in the
men's shot put, which he won and was named a national champion. The
Randallstown, Md., native tossed the shot put a Division III best
distance of 58 feet and 10 and a quarter inches (17.94 meters).
Fugett's throw also set a new SU school record and a Don Drumm
Stadium record which was previously held by Mount Union's Justin
Archer (55 feet, one inch) set on May 13, 2006. It was a year to
remember for Fugett as he was named Capital Athletic Conference
Male Track and Field Athlete of the Year and USTFCCCA Mideast
Region Field Athlete of the Year. This is Fugett's second
All-American honor as he finished second in the shot put at the
2009 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships back in
March.
Spriggs finished second in the 100-meter dash to claim
All-American honors for the second time in three years in the event
as he did so in 2007. The junior sprinter renewed his budding
rivalry with Springfield College junior Stephen Headley. The two
met this year in the national indoor championships where Headley
won the 55-meter dash with a time of 6.24 seconds ahead of Sprigg's
6.30 seconds second-place mark. On Saturday, Headley finished in
the 100-meter finals in first place with a time of 10.51 seconds.
This is Spriggs' fourth All-American honor.
The Salisbury trio also accumulated 28 team points to finish
fourth overall in the final men's team standings. University of
Wisconsin-Oshkosh won the national championship with 46 points to
edge out McMurry University (40 points) and University of St.
Thomas, who took third.
"It feels great to know even with just us three guys, to bring
home a big [NCAA] trophy to the trophy case, a lot of people might
not know that it was just three guys, but it's a great feeling and
historically it is great."
The future is bright for the SU men's track and field program as
the trio is slated to return for their senior seasons next year to
anchor a veteran Sea Gull squad.
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