The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

DENISHA Cartwright, Jahmaal Wilson and Shyrone Kemp earned First Team All-America Honours at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Cartwright led her Minnesota State Mavericks women’s team to a third-place finish while Wilson and the West Texas A and M Buffaloes finished second among men at the meet in Allendale, Michigan.

Cartwright continues to etch her name into Maverick history and added a 100m hurdles national championship title to her résumé.

The versatile sophomore sprinter topped the field in 13.35 seconds to become the first Maverick to win a national title in the event in programme history.

After a bronze medal finish in the 2021 championships, Cartwright returned to improve on that performance with a gold medal and one of three First Team All-American honours in 2022.

Cartwright teamed up with Makayla Jackson, Ja’Cey Simmons and Rose Cramer to finish first in the 4x100m relay with a time of 44.29 seconds. It was another first in Maverick history and each relay team member received First Team All-American honours.

A busy meet for Cartwright also included a fourth place finish in the 200m (23.55) and seventh place finish in the 100m (11.94) to earn another pair of First Team All-American Honours.

The Mavericks scored 57 points to finish third in the team standings, the best team finish in programme history.

Wilson finished with a silver medal in the 110m hurdles in a time of 13.80. This year marked the second consecutive second place finish for the Buffaloes’ at the national championships. They scored a programme -high 61 points and produced 16 All-Americans.

The freshman sprinter finished 10th at last year’s national championships and ran the first leg on the 4x100-metre relay that finished second with the fastest time in programme history - 39.82.

Wilson’s silver medal performance came just weeks after he was named the U.S. Track andField and Cross Country Coaches Association National Athlete of the Week. He received the honour when he broke a 28-year-old NCAA Division II record in the 110m hurdles in a time of 13.35 to break Abilene Christian’s Brian Amos’ record of 13.37 set back on May 12, 1994.

Kemp earned First Team All-American honours at the NCAAs for the third time in his collegiate career.

Kemp jumped 15.75m (51’ 8 ¼”) to tie the Dragons programme record he set earlier this season. In his Dragon career, Kemp has five Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference titles in his signature event and holds school records indoor and outdoors.

Kemp overcame an early season ankle injury to have one of his lost successful seasons to date. “The outdoor season has been pretty much successful. I’m reaching my goals,” Kemp said to the school’s athletic website. “I’ve kept a positive mindset. I have to go out and execute and do what I’ve done in training. I’m dedicated to this sport…I give 100 percent and I just try to give it all in whatever I do.”

Kemp has blossomed under the tutelage of Bahamian Olympian and former World Championship bronze medallist, Trevor Barry. “Shy has had a stellar 2022 season,” Barry said. “Shy is a true competitor and always rises above the level of the competition.”

Bahamians were also in competition at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Dominic Archer and the Briar Cliff Chargers 4x100m team of Ben Jefferies, Tulsa Janish and Ryan Kotey earned All-American honours as they placed sixth in a new programme record of 40.79.

Breanna Pratt and her Life U 4x400m team members - Alesha Wright, Iantha Wright and Brianna Florvilus - won bronze in 3:45.71.

The Eagles placed fifth overall.