Athletes from Lincoln University of Missouri dominated the 12 Jamaican student-athletes who were named to the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division Two track and field All-American team last week.

Ten of the 12 Jamaicans are from the Lincoln University team that is coached by Jamaican Harold “Poppy” Thomas. Both the Lincoln men’s and women’s teams were also named on the team list, as well as the Indiana University of Pennsylvania women’s team which is coached by two-time Jamaican Olympian Michelle Burgher-Duncan.

To qualify for the individual list the student-athletes needed a minimum, cumulative grade point average of a 3.25 on a 4.0 scale through the end of the semester of competition according to the USTFCCCA website and “must have completed at least 24 semester hours/36 quarter hours through the end of the semester of competition at the institution”.

It also says, “Transfer students and/or graduate students are to include only grades earned at the current nominating institution and the student-athlete must have achieved an automatic or provisional qualifying mark (individual or relay event) for the National Collegiate Athletics Association Indoor Track & Field Championships.”

There were just two Jamaicans on the men’s list, both from Lincoln. They are Ryan Brown and Javan Gray.

Renae Dennie and Oweneika Watson of Adams State University were joined by eight student-athletes from Lincoln University Kelly-Ann Beckford, Rusheda Blake, Kissi-Ann Brown, Segale Brown, Kimone Campbell, Chrissani May, Christine Moss, and Melissa Tyme.

— Paul Reid