Scales Wins National Title, Relay Takes Third

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Junior Mardy Scales blistered the competition late Friday night to take home the 100-meter national title, while the men's 4x100-meter relay finished third with one of the fastest times in the world this year, as Middle Tennessee completed action at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif.

Scales ran 10.25 at Hornet Stadium on the Cal State-Sacramento campus, defeating second-place Pierre Brown of Mississippi State by 0.09 seconds to take the title, Middle Tennessee's first individual title since Dionne Rose won the 60-meter hurdles in 1994. The title also marks the first men's sprint championship in Middle Tennessee history, as three other men's national titles have come in the triple jump, two by Barry McClure and one from Tommy Haynes.

Scales also earned his third All-America honor Friday night and first outdoors after two straight indoor honors in the 60-meters.

"Mardy has been very good all year long and he has taken it to another level in the last month," Blue Raider head coach Dean Hayes said. "First at the Sun Belt Championships, then the NCAA Regionals and now at the NCAA Championships, he continued to get better and better as the competition toughened."

The men's 4x100-meter relay eclipsed its own school-record by running 38.94 to earn third place earlier Friday evening. The foursome of senior DJ Spann, Scales, senior Brad Orr and sophomore Pedro Holiday ran one of the fastest times in the world this year, with only LSU and Tennessee finishing in front of the Blue Raider group.

The relay earned All-America honors, the first relay to do so at Middle Tennessee since 1982.

"The relay guys all did a great job. They all ran terrific races and that has to be one of the fastest times in the world this year."

Sophomore Victor Okorie also garnered his first All-America honor Friday night, albeit with a disappointing eighth-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles in a time of 50.96.

"Victor ran a good race and probably would have finished third, somewhere in the low 49's again, but he fell over the eighth (out of 10) hurdle. To fall over the eighth hurdle, those last two look like monsters, but he got up and finished the race and that's a credit to him."

The final day of competition at the championships is Saturday, with Middle Tennessee standing ninth heading into Saturday's action. The broadcast of the event will take place next Saturday, June 21, on CBS.  Check local listings and times in your area.

Full meet results may be accessed at ncaasports.com.

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