NEW ORLEANS, LA. -- Three members of the Trine University men's track and field team have been recognized by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as All-Great Lakes Region Award winners.
[2018 USFTCCCA All-Region Teams]
Senior Patrick Richardville (Leo, Ind./Leo) and junior Jeffery Barnett (Fremont, Ohio/Fremont-Ross) were named All-Region in a pair of events with Richardville garnering honors in both the 60-meter and 200-meter dash, while Barnett was named All-Region in the long jump and 200m dash. Junior Jacob Payne (LaPorte, Ind./LaPorte) was tabbed All-Region in the pole vault.
To earn All-Region accolades, the top-5 individuals in each event from each region earn the distinction, in addition to each of the members of the region's top-3 relays teams. A total of 772 honors were handed out to men's athletes in NCAA Division III.
Richardville earned All-Region honors for the first time in his career during the indoor season. He currently has the third fastest overall time in the 60m dash at 6.91 seconds which he ran at the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championship setting a school and conference record. His time also earned him the individual title in the event as well as All-MIAA honors. In the 200m dash, Richardville currently ranks fourth in the region with a season-best time of 22.05 seconds. His event time also came at the conference championship and was also good enough to claim the MIAA individual title.
Barnett has been named All-Region during the indoor season for the fourth overall time and third straight in the long jump. His season-best mark of 23' 7.50" in the long jump this season ranks third overall in the region and came this past weekend at the Ohio Northern University Polar Bear Final Qualifier. Barnett also earned All-Region honors in the 200m dash, his first of his indoor career, and ranks just behind Richardville for fifth in the region with a time of 22.15 seconds. He also recorded his top mark in the 200m at the MIAA Championship.
Payne was named All-Region for the first time in his career. He has a best height of 15' 5.00" (4.70 meters) in the pole vault which ranks fifth highest in the region. He posted the mark at the GVSU Mike Lints Alumni Open Meet in late January. At the conference championship, Payne finished second with a height of 14' 3.25" (4.35 meters), falling two inches shy of the event champion.
Richardville and Barnett will compete in the NCAA Division III National Meet which begins on Friday, Mar. 9 in Birmingham, Ala. Richardville will compete in the 60-meter dash and Barnett will compete in the long jump where he finished as the national runner-up last year.