Naperville, IL --- Sophomore Terrence Gibson (Rockland, MA) captured the 60 Meter Hurdles National Championship with a facility and school record time of 8.04 this afternoon at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships hosted by North Central College.
With 10 team points, Worcester State tied for 14th for its best finish since the 2000-01 season when the Lancers tied for 13th overall. The Blue and Gold also equaled Tufts for the second-highest score for a team from New England in a competitive field that included 63 teams from around the country.
Gibson blew away the field from the start of the race as he outdistanced junior Adam Scalesse (Longview, WA) of Coast Guard and senior Marcus Smith (West Allis, WA) of Wisconsin Whitewater, who both crossed the finish line clocking a split 8.10.
Gibson wrote his name into the history books as the school's first male student-athlete to win a national championship in an event and he becomes the institutions second individual to earn a title.
Lancer Hall of Famer Elke Aun was crowned the Heptathlon National Champion at the 1996 Women's NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships.
Gibson joins an elite list as the fifth men's indoor track and field All-American. Stanley Egbor was honored twice in the 55 meters (5th Place – 2000; 2nd Place - 2001) and Paul Gaffney earned the distinction two times in the weight throw (2nd Place – 1987; 7th Place - 1988).
It marks the 19th time that a Worcester State men's track and field student-athlete has been distinguished as an All-American overall. The list includes seven individuals who have received the prestegious accolade.
Coming into the NCAA Division III Championships, Gibson put up the fifth-fastest time in the country in the trials of the Open New England Championships (8.13).
Last night, he qualified for the finals of the 60 meter hurdles with the second fastest split with a then program standard of 8.10, just 0.01 seconds off of the leader, junior TJ Valley (Prairie du Chen, WI) of Wisconsin Platteville.
The previous facility record at North Central College was 8.06.