Tuesday, May 23, 2000

Championship fever
Alexander eager to play his part in another ACU sweep
By Michael Wilson
Reporter-News Staff Writer

Nic Alexander has had plenty of time to think about the upcoming NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

One year, to be exact.

While red-shirting his first season with the Abilene Christian University track team, Alexander had a front-row seat as the Wildcats swept both the men’s and women’s competitions at the indoor and outdoor national meets.

ACU is halfway there again this year — the first that Alexander has been able to compete in — with victories at the indoor championships earlier in the season, and the red-shirt freshman will accept nothing less than another sweep of titles.

You see, Alexander heard all about the victories from his teammates last season, and he wants to experience it first hand.

“I’ve been thinking about this for an entire year,” said Alexander, who will compete in the 100 and 200 as well as one leg of the sprint relay at the meet that begins Thursday in Raleigh, N.C. “We want another clean sweep. This is my first national outdoor meet, and I had to hear all about it last year. That just made me want to experience it even more this year.”

Alexander will play a big role in ACU’s quest to again repeat as outdoor champion. He has already recorded the nation’s fastest time in the 100 (10.19), which is his best event.

But at the Lone Star Conference track meet that was held a month ago, Alexander also made his collegiate debut in the 200. It didn’t take long for him to establish himself in that event as well; his mark of 20.55 is good enough to lead all other Division II athletes.

Alexander credits part of his immediate success in the 200 to his roommate Julieon Raeburn, who is also a prominent member of the ACU track team. Raeburn, who like Alexander is from Trinidad, also began running the 200, and his incredible speed helps pace his roommate.

“I knew I would start running the 200 eventually,” Alexander said. “One of the reasons my time was so fast was Julieon. He’s pretty quick over there, and we push each other.”

With such depth in the sprint events, the Wildcats will be tough to stop once the meet begins. Alexander has high expectations for himself and his teammates, though he is nothing if not unselfish.

“If I don’t win the 100 I will be disappointed, but Julieon can win the 200,” Alexander said. “If he does, I just want to get second. We plan to finish 1-2, or else I will be disappointed.”

If he is to finish at the front of the pack, Alexander will have to overcome the butterflies that always accompany a big competition. He admits to getting a little nervous before nationals just like everyone else, though his experience at the indoor championships earlier this spring should help out in that department.

“I’m a little anxious to get out there,” Alexander said. “I guess I will just have to see how it goes. Depending on how well I do in the preliminaries, that can sometimes make it a little better. I’m just going to do my best.”

Contact staff writer Michael Wilson at 676-6773 or wilsonjm@abinews.com. We are on the Web at sports.texnews.com.