Danielle Williams is the first female from JCSU to be named USTFCCCA National Women's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year
New Orleans, LA – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced the National Athlete of the Year award winners for 2013 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field season as chosen by the nation's coaches. Johnson C. Smith University junior student-athlete
Danielle Williams and Jermaine Jones of Saint Augustine's earned the distinctions of Female and Male National Track Athletes of the Year, respectively for the 2013 outdoor season.
Williams, a junior from St. Andrew, Jamaica, turned in a pair of all-time performances in winning both the 100 and 200 meters at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships, in addition to a runner-up showing in the 100 hurdles. She blazed to the win at 200 meters in an all-time Division II record 22.62 (-0.7m/s) after having run a 22.63w (+5.4m/s) during the prelims. Her win at 100 meters came in 11.24 (-0.7m/s), giving her the win by more than a quarter of a second and the No. 4 wind-legal mark in division history. Her runner-up performance in the 100 hurdles in 12.89 (+1.8m/s) makes her the third-fastest performer in DII history.
She did not lose a final at either 100 or 200 meters throughout the duration of the outdoor season, including CIAA titles at 100 and 200 meters and the 4×100 relay to go along with a second-place 100 hurdles finish.
Williams was also named USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Women's Track Athlete of the Year this season. She is the first female student-athlete from JCSU to ever be named national track of the year. Williams is only the second Golden Bull to win the honor; Leford Green was named male track of the year in 2010 and 2011.
Jermaine Jones, a sophomore from Wilmington, N.C., won an NCAA Division II individual title at 200 meters and ran a leg of the winning and all-time DII record-setting 4×100 relay team, along with a third-place run at 100 meters, in helping the Falcons to the team title. Jones pulled away down the stretch of the 200 to claim the win in 20.57 (+0.2m/s), and ran the anchor leg on a pair of DII 4×100 relay records.
During the regular season Jones claimed both the 100 and 200 meter titles at the CIAA Championships, and also ran a leg of the winning 4×100 relay. He was named the CIAA meet's Most Valuable Performer for his performance.
J Patrick Smith of Chico State and Sam Lockhart of Grand Valley State were named the men's and women's national field athlete of the year, respectively.
