WILBERFORCE — Central State University track & field athlete Juan Scott has qualified to compete at the 2017 NCAA Division II Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Scott is one of 540 participants, 270 men and 270 women, participating in the championships. Scott qualified for the championships by reaching the automatic and provisional standards established for 60-meter men’s hurdles.
Scott, who was named to the USTFCCCA All-Region Team earlier this week, discussed his mindset going into national competition.
“I am pleased with my results up to this point and qualifying for nationals is another stepping stone for me,” Scott said. “I am a confident person and expect to do well in my event. I have set a few goals going into the week. My first objective is to do everything I can to win my race. I also want to set a personal record while obtaining All-American status.”
A freshman from Dunbar High School, Scott has won the 60-meter hurdles event five times throughout the indoor season. His most impressive performance was a pace of 7.97 seconds to win in February at Ohio State University. His time at OSU ranks seventh in the country. Scott is the first Marauder to compete in the NCAA Indoor National Track & Field Championships since Malik Lewis appeared in 2014.
“Juan’s focus on doing all the little things away from the track has had a major impact on his success,” CSU Track & Field Coach James Rollins said. “He pays attention to proper nutrition and regularly spends time with Head Athletic Trainer LaShaunta Jones for recovery and injury prevention. His discipline and maturity have served as an inspiration for his teammates. Through his dedication and tireless work ethic, he has earned the right to compete on the national stage.”
The championships will be held March 9-11 in Birmingham, Ala. at the Birmingham CrossPlex, as part of the 2017 NCAA Division II National Championships Festival. The University of Alabama in Huntsville and the City of Birmingham will serve as co-hosts of the championships. The championships will be streamed live on www.NCAA.com.
The complete list of qualifiers is available at http://www.leonetiming.com/2017/Indoor/NCAADII/ .
