Thursday, May 29, 2014

JCSU's Danielle Williams Named 2014 NCAA DII Women's Outdoor National Track Athlete of the Year

DANIELLE WILLIAMS
Courtesy: Johnson C. Smith University Athletics
JCSU's Danielle Williams has been named the USTFCCCA Division II Women's National Track Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive season.

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana – On the heels of the NCAA Championships and with the 2014 Division II Outdoor Track and Field season coming to a conclusion; the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) has announced Danielle Williams of Johnson C. Smith University as the National Track Athlete of the Year. Williams is the only female student-athlete at JCSU to ever receive this honor and this is her second consecutive year being selected for the award.

Williams won dual individual titles at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Fractions of a second were all that separated Williams, a recent graduate from St. Andrew, Jamaica, from becoming the first woman in Division II history to win three track events in the same championships. Prior to winning titles both at 100 and 200 meters, Williams lost out to teammate Samantha Elliott (Kingston, Jamaica) in the 100-meter hurdles by just .006 as both ran 13.05. This was an encore from last year's championships, where Williams won the 100m, 200m, and runner-up in the 100m hurdles.



In 100 meters, Williams would ultimately be a runaway by comparison as she edged out top-seeded Ada Udaya of New Haven by .06 in 11.55. She capped her day in the 200 meters; where she was able to just barely hold off Janae Johnson of Lincoln (Mo.) by .01 of a second in 23.48.

Williams' season also included a runner-up 100-meters hurdles finish at the Penn Relays and CIAA titles in all the aforementioned events.

Three other student-athletes received honors. All-time DII heptathlon record-holder Salcia Slack of New Mexico Highlands – a multiple-time champion herself – claimed the Women's Field Athlete honor. Steeplechaser Tabor Stevens of Adams State and record-breaking high jumper Jeron Robinson of Texas A&M-Kingsville claimed the Men's Track Athlete and Men's Field Athlete award.

COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

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