CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Alaska Anchorage juniors Demietrius Preston and Marko Cheseto both recorded All-America honors on the opening day of the 2010 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships here at Irwin Belk Track Complex on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University.
The Seawolves started the day with a runner-up finish in the men's long jump by Preston and ended the day with a sixth-place finish in the 10,000 meters by Cheseto. The duo propelled the UAA men's team to fourth place in the rankings with 11 points. After three events scored, Hillsdale leads the men's field with 19 points, while Lincoln (Mo.) tops the women's teams (18 points).
The Seawolves continued their recent domination in the men's long jump, as Preston claimed UAA's third top-two performance in the last three seasons. Teammate David Registe, who is redshirting this season, leapt to victory in the same event in 2008 and a runner-up finish in 2009.
The Anchorage native (Service HS) handed UAA eight points with a career-best jump of 25-3.25, recorded on his second leap of the day. Earning his first All-America honor, Preston improved upon his previous personal best of 24-7.25 by exactly eight inches. Taking home the title for the second straight time was Indiana (Pa.) junior Nafee Harris with a leap of 26-1.50.
Cheseto, from Kapenguria, Kenya, collected his third career All-America honor with a sixth-place result in the finals of the men's 10,000 meters - the most All-America honors for a Seawolf. The eighth seed going into the race, Cheseto clocked in at a time of 30 minutes, 36.40 seconds. Cheseto will compete in the prelims of the men's 5,000 meters on Friday at 4: 35 p.m. ADT.
The good news for UAA didn't stop with Preston and Cheseto, as freshman Micah Chelimo and sophomore Alfred Kangogo each advanced to the finals in their respective events.
Chelimo continued his successful rookie campaign by winning the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase prelims with a time of 8:56.46. The Kenyan edged Lock Haven's Nick Hilton (8:56.53) at the line for the win. Chelimo advances to the finals that will take place on Saturday at 1:25 p.m. ADT.
After missing the 1500 meter finals as a freshman at the NCAAs in 2009, Kangogo redeemed himself when he finished second in his heat and eighth overall. The Eldoret, Kenya, local punched himself a ticket to the finals with a time of 3:51.32 in the preliminaries.
Kangogo will compete in the prelims of the 5,000 meters on Friday, before participating in the finals of the 1500 meters on Saturday at 2:15 p.m. ADT.
"We had a very, very good day on the men's side, picking up two All-America honors and qualifying two runners to the finals" said head coach Michael Friess, "I'm happy for Demietrius and Marko ran a tough race."
Sophomore Ruth Keino (Kapcheno, Kenya) finished 14th in the finals of the women's 10,000 meters as senior Laura Carr (South Bend, Ind.) wrapped up her collegiate career with a 17th-place showing in the same event. Keino recorded a time of 36:28.34, while Carr posted a time of 37:43.00 in her third career NCAA appearance.
Competing in their first races at the NCAAs were sophomore Miriam Kipng'Eno and junior Hallidie Wilt. Kipng'Eno (Eldoret, Kenya) just missed qualifying for the finals in the women's 1500 meters, finishing 13th with a time of 4:36.81. Wilt, a local of Unalaska, posted a time of 10:57.68, for 15th place in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Both Keino and Kipng'Eno will race in the prelims of the women's 5,000 meters on Friday at 3:50 p.m. ADT.
"It was great competition today," said Friess, "Tomorrow is a little bit lighter with just the 5,000 meters and then we get back at it on Saturday."
