NCAA Divison I Outdoor Championships 2006

Wednesday kicked off the NCAA D1 National Championship. Florida athletes excelled in many events with Walter Dix, Richardo Chambers, Xavier Carter, Jenny Barringer, Andrew Lemoncello, Willie Perry, Mike Morrison, and Rafeeq Curry leading the charge.

Dara Atlman, Lacy Janson, Garrett Johnson, Dominique Darden, Xavier Carter, and Tom Lancashire were the top placers from Florida on Day 2.

Former PA high school athletes are performing well at the NCAA Division I Championships in California. On Saturday, Coughlin grad and North Carolina\'s Justin Ryncavage won the men\'s Javelin with a throw of 243.04. Thomas Jordan (Coastal Carolina/Cedar Crest) was 7th. In the 400 Hurdles, Dominique Darden (Miami/Harrisburg) and Nicole Leach (UCLA/West Catholic) went 3-4, each moving up a spot after apparent winner Melaine Walker of Texas was DQed. In the 4x400, according to CBS, Juanita Broaddus (LSU/William Penn) broke open the 4x400 on the 3rd leg. Krista Simkins (Miami/Wissahickon) opened, and Dominique Darden (Miami/Harrisburg) anchored for the 2nd place team.(Photo of Justin Ryncavage (North Carolina/Coughlin by Kirby Lee/Image of Sport)

On Sunday in California at the Golden West Invitational, Jared Jodon won the Pole Vault, Aaron Kauffman was 2nd in the 800, and Travis Miller took runner-up honors in the Javelin. On Friday, it was a great start to little meet in West Chester on a comfortable, sometimes rainy, but never windy 1st Annual Distance Festival. How about three PA PIAA State Champions tuning up for next week\'s Nike Outdoor Nationals. And at the 1st Milestat.com Elite Track Gala, Diana Filtz and Ben Hahn won two distance events on Day One. (Cover photo: Jared Jodon, Laurel Highlands senior, 16-03 PV win - photo courtesy Margaret Gallagher, DyeStatCal)

Jenny Barringer (Oviedo alum/Colorado) won the 3000 meter steeplechase NCAA title as a freshman! Congrats to her! Other top Florida finishers for yesterday\'s events: Tabia Charles, Alyce Williams, Rafeeq Curry, Walter Dix, Xavier Carter, and Richardo Chambers.

Dominic Berger took second in the 110H finals in day three action.

It was a good day for Floridians. Xavier Carter (LSU) became the first man since Jesse Owens to win four NCAA titles: 4x100, 100, 400, 4x400! FSU saw victories by Garrett Johnson, Walter Dix, and Rafeeq Curry, along with second place finishes by Dix, Richardo Chambers, and Tom Lancashire to come up with its first ever national championship!

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J.L. Mann alumna Amberly Nesbitt finished first in the 100-meter finals at the NCAA Championships in 11.34 seconds. Nesbitt, a sophomore at USC, competed in lane eight.