FPU's Shemar Palmer finished second in both the 200 and 400 meters.
FPU's Shemar Palmer finished second in both the 200 and 400 meters.

Men's Track and Field

Palmer's Double Silver Medals Highlight NCAA National Results

Fresno Pacific standout finishes second in the 200 and 400 meters. PacWest athletes earn 17 First Team All-American honors.

EMPORIA, Kan.—Fresno Pacific’s Shemar Palmer finished second in the 200 and 400 meters to highlight a batch of impressive All-American performances at the NCAA Division II National Championships at Francis G. Welch Stadium, Thursday through Saturday (May 21-23).

The Sunbirds finished 12th as a team with 24.33 points. On the women’s side, FPU was also the top PacWest team performer with 14 points to Azusa Pacific’s 12.

Pacific West Conference athletes totaled 17 First Team All-American honors overall. 

Palmer ran 45.33 in the 200 and 20.53 in the 400 to earn the two runner-up medals. The 400 time was a personal best for the multi-award winning Sunbird.

Other silver medal performances were turned in by Biola’s Joshua Meadows in the 400 hurdles (50.31), Kristina Radocevic (APU) in the women’s discus (172-6) and FPU’s Tevz Podlipnik in the javelin (236-6).

Bronze medals went to Azusa Pacific’s Mark Burdin in the decathlon (7,441), Eboselulu Omofoma (Biola) in the women’s triple jump (41-10 ¾) and Avril Mendoza (FPU) in the women’s 400 hurdles (57.30).

Earning Vanguard’s first NCAA All-American honor was Kaylee Best in the women’s long jump (20-1), good for fourth place.

Both Fresno Pacific women’s relay teams were fifth. In the 4 x 100, the foursome of Nydia Chance, Avril Mendoza, Shaniya Randolph and Cyan Haslip turned in a time of 45.32. In the 4 x 400, it was Kanahdi Haslip, Randolph, Mendoza and Cyan Haslip in 3:37.14.

Add in Mendoza’s third place finish in the 400 hurdles, that makes her a three-time All-American at the national championships.

APU’s Hannah Richardson was fifth in the women’s shot put (50-10). Dominican’s Adrian Aguirre finished sixth in the 110 hurdles for All-American honors (14.05).

Also gaining the title of All-American (top eight) was Point Loma’s Maddie Reeves in the 10,000 meters (34:39.33), FPU’s Malachi Carrasco in the high jump (6-10 ¾), and Omofomo in the 100 hurdles (13.69) and 400 hurdles (64.91), making the Biola standout a three-time All-American at this meet.

For a complete look at all three days of results, click here.