Central State University's Juan Scott Wins NCAA Division II Championship in 110 Meter Hurdles
Central State University hurdler Juan Scott made history with a record-breaking performance to win the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championship in the 110 meter hurdles on Saturday.
"I came into the outdoor national championships as a bit of an underdog," Scott said. "After missing out on the indoor finals in March, I was determined to have my best performance of the year this weekend. I drew on my past experiences as preparation and felt really confident going into this week's competition."
Scott ran a time of 13.82 seconds in Friday's national preliminary round, tying a school record and advancing to Saturday's national final. Less than 24 hours later, the freshman from Dunbar High School in Dayton, Ohio shattered a Central State and IMG Academy facility record with a pace of 13.73 seconds to claim the national title by 0.07 seconds over senior Shawn Rowe of St. Augustine's University.
Scott becomes the first Central State student-athlete to win an NCAA Div. II National Championship, accomplishing the feat while celebrating his 20th birthday. With the win, Scott is also the first Marauder to earn USTFCCCA Outdoor All-American 1st Team honors.
"It feels great to make history at Central State University," Scott said. "My goal is to continue to sustain this level of success and make more history as I continue my collegiate career."
Attending nearly every competition their son has participated in since he began running in high school, Scott's parents gleamed with pride and emotion after witnessing their son's victory. Juan's father, Quincy Scott, commented on his son's accomplishment.
"This really means a lot for all of us in the family. Words really can't explain how we feel right now. We are very proud parents," Quincy Scott said. "Hopefully, Juan can bring a few more championships back home over the next couple of years."
In addition to winning a national title, Scott's phenomenal freshman year includes nine wins in hurdle events, a SIAC Championship, an All-Ohio Championship, USTFCCCA Indoor All-American honors and an appearance at the NCAA Div. II Indoor National Championships.
"Juan really committed to the program and bought in to what we are doing at Central State University," CSU head coach James Rollins said. "He has worked hard for everything he has accomplished and I am excited to see him reach his goal of becoming a national champion. As long as he continues to stay hungry, I believe the sky is the limit for him."