Gardner-Webb's Alex Young Qualifies For NCAA Outdoor Nationals In Hammer
May 30, 2014 | Track & Field
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Gardner-Webb sophomore Alex Young added another chapter to his already legendary career Friday morning, qualifying for the 2014 NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Championship Meet in the hammer throw.
Young (LaVergne, Tenn. / LaVergne HS) recorded a personal-best effort of 64.21 meters at the East Regional Meet at the University of North Florida, placing 12th in the event – good enough for a spot in next month's championship meet.
The 2014 NCAA Division I Men's & Women's Outdoor Championship Meet will be held June 11-14 at historic Hayward Field on the campus of The University of Oregon.
Young, who earned All-America honors at the 2014 NCAA Division I Indoor Championship Meet, is the first Gardner-Webb outdoor qualifier at the Division I level. He and Elliott Haynie (Indoor, Pole Vault, 2008) are the lone NCAA Division I national qualifiers in program history.
Marlon Greensword and David Lloyd each qualified for the 2000 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championship Meet in Gardner-Webb first season of Track & Field – with Greensword taking All-America honors in the 800m run and Lloyd doing so in the 400m hurdles on the men's side.
Sylvia Chelimo, Natilee Dawkins, Nicole McClain and Julia O'Neal did so on the women's side that same season – with Chelimo and O'Neal winning national championships. Both Chelimo and O'Neal were inducted into the Gardner-Webb Athletics Hall of Fame this past October.
Young is also bidding to become the school's first indoor and outdoor All-American since Chelimo, Dawkins and O'Neal did so in 2000.
Quickly establishing himself as the barometer of Gardner-Webb's program in all phases, Young has enjoyed an eventful two seasons with the scarlet and black. Young has won four Big South Conference titles in just two seasons and is coming off an appearance at the 2013 Junior Pan-Am Games in Medellin, Columbia. Young was the 2012-2013 Big South Freshman of the Year both indoor and outdoor – and was the league's Most Outstanding Field Performer during the indoor season as a freshman.
Also strong in the classroom, Young is an Academic All-Big South selection and has earned a spot on the Big South Presidential Honor Roll as well.
More information regarding the 2014 NCAA Division I Men's & Women's Outdoor Championship Meet is available at the NCAA's official website (Click Here).
