DELHI, NY (March 8, 2022) - The Broncos Track and Field Season will include the NCAA Indoor Championships for the first time ever this year, Delhi's first year of eligibility. Two athletes, Naquille Harris and Joshua Jeffes, were announced by the NCAA as accepted entries for the Championships to be held March 11 and 12 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina at the JDL Fast Track.
Harris, who had an incredible breakout season in the spring of 2021 running times ranked in the top five for NCAA Division III in the 100 and 200 meters, was not able to compete in the championships as Delhi was in their last year of the transition to the NCAA. This year, he has continued his success setting school records in the 60 meters and the 200 meters. It is his performance in the 60 meter dash that has punched his ticket to North Carolina. Harris ran a blazing 6.81 seconds in a meet at Army West Point on February 19th to shatter the Delhi school record. That performance ranks him as the eighth fastest time in the country and ranks him in that spot headed into the championships.
Jeffes, who won the region outdoors in the 400 meter last year, has also continued to have great success. He has established new school records in the 200 meters, 300 meters and 400 meters all this winter. In the 400 meters, the event he will compete in at the NCAA Championships, he has taken over a full second off of the old mark. In a meet at Utica College on January 29th, Jeffes ran 49.32 seconds in the 400 meters which ranks him as the 18th fastest time in America for NCAA III. Following declarations, he is seeded 16th in the meet this weekend in North Carolina.
In his first year as a head coach, Zach Brown has now had an athlete qualify for the NCAA Championships in both cross country and now indoor track and field. When asked what he felt about the year so far, Brown said "We are really excited for these athletes, as well as Seth Bywater in the fall. To have athletes competing on this stage in our first year of eligibility is a testament to the quality of the program here at Delhi. Coaching transitions can be tough times in programs but the athletes here have really bought in to the new coaching staff and made this a fantastic experience. The three athletes that have qualified for the NCAA Championships are great representatives of what student-athletes can do with a lot of hard work and a little trust that the coaches, administration and larger institution will do everything it can to give them the best opportunities for success"
The weekend will get started when Jeffes races in the 400 meter preliminary round on Friday March 11 at 3:10pm followed by Harris in the 60 meter prelims at 3:50pm. The finals for the 400 meters are at 3:10pm on Saturday, followed closely by the 60 meter dash at 3:30pm. The meet schedule, live results and complete seed list can be found below.
