Known for one of the greatest relay runs in Bahamian track and field history, Ramon Miller is getting recognized for what he would have done in college.
Miller will be inducted into Dickinson State University’s (DSU) Sports Hall of Fame on October 9, 2020. The induction ceremony will be staged as a part of the DSU homecoming in Dickinson, North Dakota. With the United States moving full steam ahead into its re-opening phases, and with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and other collegiate bodies maintaining their stance as far as fall sports is concerned – there has been no major shifting of collegiate sporting events and activities in the last quarter of 2020 despite the uncertainty that surrounds COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the sports world, forcing the postponement and cancelation of a number of sporting events and sports seasons around the globe. However, for the most part, the latter part of 2020 remains unaffected as far as collegiate sports is concerned, as no major cancelation of collegiate sporting activities has been announced as yet. There is optimism, in many sports circles, that everyday life will return to a state or normalcy by the end of the summer. Some colleges have even announced that certain teams will come together for their initial meetings as early as July albeit while adhering to social distancing guidelines.
The Dickinson State Blue Hawks compete out of the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
As for Miller, he is one of the more decorated athletes in NAIA track and field history. He won multiple national titles in the 200 meters (m) and 400m, and was the NAIA national record holder in 400m. Miller also won multiple national collegiate titles in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. He was a 12-time national champion at Dickinson State and was named the NAIA most outstanding track and field athlete in 2009.
Miller is regarded as a legend at Dickinson State, having received numerous honors and accolades during his collegiate career. He is the first athlete from DSU to receive the Golden Hawk Award, a prestigious award from the school presented to someone who excels beyond the doors of Dickinson State, and one that is presented by the DSU Heritage Foundation.
The DSU graduate made international headlines at the 2012 London Olympics when he anchored The Bahamas’ men’s 4x400m relay team to a stunning gold medal win over the United States. It was the U.S.’ first loss on the track in the men’s 4x400m relay at the Olympics in 60 years, and one of the more significant wins in athletics in Bahamian track and field history. Miller ran a stunning anchor leg in which he passed American Angelo Taylor on the homestretch for the stunning gold medal for The Bahamas. The team finished in a new national record of 2:56.72, listing The Bahamas as the third-fastest nation of all-time in that event behind the U.S. and Great Britain.
It was the first Olympic gold medal on the track for men from The Bahamas and just the fifth Olympic gold in Bahamian history. The Bahamas has since won another Olympic gold, courtesy of Shaunae Miller in the women’s 400m in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016.
In London, the group of Bahamian quarter-milers – Miller, Chris Brown, Demetrius Pinder and Michael Mathieu, dubbed the “Golden Knights” after their fantastic win – went on to defeat the United States “A” team at the Penn Relays two years later. In 2012, the golden run by the Golden Knights was the Dickinson Press’ No. 1 Sports Story of 2012, as Miller was the first person who attended a North Dakota college or university to win an Olympic gold medal.
Miller has personal best times of 20.50 seconds in the 200m and 44.87 seconds in the 400m.
Also to be inducted with Miller into the DSU Sports Hall of Fame in October, are five other individuals and a few teams. Also, two coaches will be inducted posthumously.
“We are excited to have such an illustrious group of former student-athletes and coaches going into the Dickinson State Hall of Fame,” stated DSU Athletic Director Pete Stanton.
Among the teams to be inducted are the 2006 and 2007 Blue Hawks men’s baseball teams, which won conference titles in back-to-back years, and the 2007 and 2008 men’s track and field teams, which finished as the national runner-up at the NAIA Nationals two years in a row. The baseball teams were the first teams from DSU in that sport to win both the regular season and tournament championships.
The track teams were loaded with Bahamians. On the 2007 team were Miller, La’Sean Pickstock, Jamal Forbes, Dominic Goodman, Sheldon King and Roosevelt Curry. On the 2008 squad were Miller, Pickstock, Goodman, King, Michael “Tino” Sands, Antillio Bastian and John Ingraham.
In 2007, the Blue Hawks finished second to Oklahoma Baptist, and in 2008 they finished as the runner-up to Azusa Pacific University, losing by four points. The 2007 and 2008 teams both dominated the conference meet and had over 10 All-Americans in the both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Individually, long-time coaches Harry Wienbergen and Lorraine Schumacher will be inducted posthumously, and national wrestling champion Tyson Springer; All-American in both football and track Ryley McPeters; four-time All-American in volleyball Nancy Nyongesa; four-time national champion in women’s pole vault Kelsey Stanley (Aide); and seven-time national champion in athletics Allan Ayala will also be inducted.
The post Miller, track teams to be inducted into DSU Hall of Fame appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.
source https://thenassauguardian.com/2020/05/18/miller-track-teams-to-be-inducted-into-dsu-hall-of-fame/
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