After more than a three-hour rain delay, the final day of the 2009 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships got exciting in a hurry as the team championship races came down to the wire.

St. Augustine’s claimed the men’s crown with 94 points and Lincoln held off host Angelo State for the women’s team title with 85 points. St. Augustine’s claimed its first national men’s title since 2001, snapping a seven-year reign by Abilene Christian. Lincoln’s women’s victory was their sixth in the past seven seasons.

In the most anticipated event of the day in a field that included three Olympians, Lincoln’s Samoy Hackett outstretched Barbara Pierre from St. Augustine’s for the title in the women’s 100-meter dash. Hackett won the event in a time of 11.18, matching Pierre’s meet record set in the prelims. Pierre ended the finals in a time of 11.22. Lincoln’s Janika Martell was third in a time of 11.36.

It then came down to the 4×400 relay for the women’s title as Lincoln outran Angelo State by less than two seconds to capture the team crown. The Blue Tigers won the event in a time of 3:39.45 while ASU finished second at 3:41.38. District of Columbia was third at 3:42.81.

For the men, St. Augustine’s and Abilene Christian entered the final event tied at 84 points apiece. St. Aug’s 4×400 relay squad claimed the team title for the Falcons with a winning time of 3:06.90. Lincoln placed second in the event in a time of 3:08.22 and Fort Valley State third at 3:08.41.

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–Courtesy Angelo State Athletics