MONMOUTH, Ill. - Two weeks ago, Monmouth College athletic teams went 4-for-4 in Midwest Conference championships, including a title sweep for the men’s and women’s track teams. Saturday in St. Paul, Minn., Monmouth had another 4-for-4 day, as all four entrants competing at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships earned All-American honors.

The highest finish belonged to Monmouth’s lone men’s entry and the only one of three relay teams to reach Saturday’s final. The quartet of Randy Williams, Ryan Moll, Chris Lacy and Keenan King established a new school record as they placed fourth in the 4x400 in 3:12.20. The winning team was from Central College with a time of 3:10.05.

“Keenan caught three teams at the end,” reported coach Roger Haynes. “Ryan (48.1) and Chris (47.4) ran very good splits, as well. The group was more than a little nervous on Thursday, since it was the first time for all of them at a national meet. They were much better on Saturday. Their top four finish was a great accomplishment on one hand, but if they’d all run their best at the same time, I think they could have finished even higher.”

Another school record fell in the women’s 200-meter dash, as Constance Jackson earned her third straight individual All-American honor in that event and broke her old MC mark of 24.35. She placed fourth in the race in 2000 and second last year. Ironically, her career-best time of 24.25 (wind-aided) on Saturday left her with her lowest finish in three years, sixth place. Still, the top eight finish gave Jackson her seventh All-American honor in outdoor track, a feat surpassed only by Heather Furrow, who was an eight-time All-American.

“You have to be pleased with Constance’s race,” said Haynes. “She ran the first- and third-fastest times of her career.” Jackson’s qualifying time Thursday was 24.38.

Also earning All-American honors were Jill Hoops and Tracy Nelson. Hoops, who entered the final ranked ninth, improved to finish seventh in the 400-meter hurdles, completing a circuit in 1:02.75. Jessica Jensen of Buena Vista University won the race in 1:00.11. It was Hoops’ fourth All-American finish, but her first as an individual.

“Jill ran extremely well out of the first lane in the final and beat a couple kids, which is hard to do at this level,” praised Haynes.

Nelson, who still has a year of track eligibility left, threw the javelin 128’6 to take eighth place and earn her first All-American honor. The event was won in record fashion by Moravian College’s Christina Scherwin (169’7).

“Tracy moved up from 16th place to be an All-American, and she did it in less than ideal conditions,” said Haynes, who said Macalester Stadium received heavy rain before Saturday’s action.

Monmouth’s women, who also received points from high jumper Melissa Jones on Thursday, scored 8.5 points to finish in 32nd place in the nation. By sending four entrants to the awards podium, the women broke the previous record of three All-American entrants, set in 1992, 1998 and 2001. The five points the men’s relay team scored were good for a tie for 47th.

This is the 17th time in the last 18 years that the Fighting Scots have had an All-American men’s entry, and it’s the 11th straight season with a women’s All-American.

“I’m certainly pleased overall,” said Haynes. “Any or all of them could have placed higher than what they did, though. It’s going to take harder work year-round for them to move up.

“I thought it was especially appropriate that the seniors (Jackson, Williams and Lacy) went out as All-Americans,” he concluded. “All of them have put in a great deal of work on a daily basis to help put the program where it is.”

Men's Outdoor Track | Women's Outdoor Track