No. 9 ASU Rams, Rambelles Slated to Compete at Division II Outdoor Championships

SAN ANGELO, TX — The Angelo State University track and field teams will compete in the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships, scheduled for Thursday through Saturday in Emporia, Kansas.

The meet, hosted by Emporia State University, will take place at Francis G. Welch Stadium from May 21-23.

The Rams and Rambelles last competed at the Lone Star Conference Championships two weeks ago, where the Rambelles placed third and the Rams finished second, falling one point short of defending champion West Texas A&M University. The Rams claimed eight individual titles at the meet, while Marie Schuler won the Rambelles’ lone individual championship in the hammer throw.

At the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships in March, the Rams finished fourth, the highest indoor finish in program history. William Opare won the 400 meters, finished second in the 200 meters and anchored the national champion 4x400-meter relay team alongside Taylor Briggs, Rami Balti and Bautista Diamante.

The Rambelles won the outdoor national championship in 2010 and finished as runner-up in 2009. The Rams have six runner-up finishes in program history, including a second-place finish in 2019 when they were edged by Ashland by one point.

Competition begins Thursday with Abril Okon competing in the heptathlon at 11 a.m. In field events, Esma Pajt and Kamryn Williams will compete in the hammer throw at 3:30 p.m., followed by Marie Schuler in the second flight. The men’s 4x100-meter relay team of Diamante, Briggs, Francis Patanpatan and Opare is scheduled for preliminary heats at 4:50 p.m. Jahleel Armstrong, Rami Balti and Opare will compete in the 400-meter prelims at 5:40 p.m., and Kaylee Price will run the 400-meter hurdles prelims at 7:55 p.m.

On Friday, Okon will conclude the heptathlon at 10:30 a.m. Vanam Sharma will compete in the discus at 1:30 p.m., and Dayvon Williams will participate in the high jump at 3:30 p.m. Opare is scheduled for the 200-meter prelims at 5:30 p.m., and the 4x400-meter relay team of Armstrong, Balti, Patanpatan and Opare will compete in prelims at 7:50 p.m.

Saturday’s field events include Jaime Moreno in the javelin at noon, Jonathan Wright in the pole vault at 2 p.m., Ekaterina Fedotova in the javelin at 3 p.m. and Okon in the high jump at 3:15 p.m.

Running finals are scheduled for Saturday, beginning with the 4x100-meter relay at 4 p.m., followed by the 400 meters at 4:35 p.m., the 400-meter hurdles at 5:50 p.m., the 200 meters at 6:10 p.m. and the 4x400-meter relay at 7:20 p.m.