Moravian's Brown Wins Second National Title

OSHKOSH, Wis. - Landmark Conference student-athletes turned in several more strong performances on the second day of competition at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. The day's highlight was Moravian senior Ozzie Brown winning the decathlon to claim his second NCAA individual championship of his senior year.

The national title is the second for Brown this year, making him the first Moravian student-athlete to win multiple national championships in the same year. Brown won the long jump title at the 2008 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field National Championships.

Brown won the decathlon with a Moravian school record and NCAA Division III season best point total of 7,192, 66 points ahead of Kyle Steiner from Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Brown’s ten team points for winning the national championship currently has Moravian in a tie for sixth place of the 48 teams that have scored a point through two days of the three-day meet. The University of St. Thomas (MN) is currently first with 19 team points.

Brown entered Friday’s second day of competition in the decathlon with a 344 point lead. He began the second day by placing first in the 110-meter high hurdles in 14.64 seconds to earn 894 points. Brown then placed eight in the discus throw with a toss of 35.59 meters (116 feet, nine inches) for 576 points to build a lead of 382 points heading into the final three events. Brown was fifth in the pole vault, clearing 4.15 meters (13 feet, 7 ¼ inches) to earn 659 points, and then he placed ninth in the javelin throw with a toss of 42.96 meters (140 feet, 11 inches) for 485 to enter the final event with a 235 point lead. Brown completed the decathlon with a tenth place finish in the final event, the 1,500-meter run in 4:47.09 to earn 636 points and clinch the national championship.

In the first day of the decathlon on Thursday, Brown had a point total of 3,942 through five events. Brown was first in the 100-meter dash in 11.10 seconds for 838 points, first in the long jump at 7.03 meters (23 feet, ¾ inch) for 821 points, fourth in the shot put at 11.94 meters (39 feet, 2 ¼ inches) for 603 points, first in the high jump at 1.99 meters (six feet, 6 ¼ inches) for 794 points and second in the 400-meter dash in 48.49 seconds to earn 886 points.

In other action on Friday, Brown and senior Nathaniel Tussey (Perkiomenville, PA/Boyertown HS) both qualified for the finals of the 110-meter high hurdles on Saturday. Brown, who ran the preliminary between the decathlon pole vault and javelin, was fourth in his heat and the ninth and final qualifier for the finals in a time of 14.57 seconds. Tussey was third in his heat and fourth overall with a time of 14.37 seconds to advance to the finals on Saturday at 1:55 p.m. central time. Tussey will be in lane three for the finals while Brown, who entered the meet with the fastest time of the season in the nation at 14.27 seconds, will be in lane one.

Tussey will also compete in the finals of the 400-meter hurdles on Saturday at 3:25 p.m. central time after qualifying fifth on Thursday with a Moravian record time of 52.87 seconds.

Also in men's competition on Friday was Susquehanna senior Mike Marr who placed ninth in the high jump. Marr cleared 1.98 meters to tie with two other jumpers for ninth place. Sophomore, Cody Stelzer of Whitworth University won the title with a 2.12 meter leap to break the J.J. Keller Field record of 2.07 meters set in 2006. Marr, who claimed All-American accolades at the 2007 outdoor championship, finished his Susquehanna career as the 36th All-American in Susquehanna men’s track and field history, while being the only Crusader ever recognized as All-American in the high jump. In addition, he holds Susquehanna’s indoor high jump record at 2.04 meters and sits third on the outdoor list behind Chris Bierer and Adam Ressler with a personal best of 2.05 meters.

In women’s action on Friday, Moravian sophomore Jessica Posimo (Philadelphia, PA/St. Basil Academy) competed in the preliminaries of the 100-meter hurdles. Posimo was seventh in her heat and 19th overall with a time of 15.03 seconds.

Competition at the NCAA Championships will conclude on Saturday.