The Men's 4x400 Meter Relay (from L to R) Consisting Of Horner, Gast, Clark, And Alramahi Place Third Overall With A Time Of 3:10.72 To Earn All-American Honors
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - On the final day of the 2024 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium, the Blue Streaks definitely did not disappoint.
The men collected a total of 11 points on day three of the championship meet, scoring in all three final events including the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relays and the open 400 meter dash.
University of Wisconsin La Crosse took home the national title scoring 76 points, followed by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh scoring 48 points. Placing third overall was Rowan scoring 43 points, tying with Bethel University to round up the podium finishes.
The Blue Streaks tied with the University of Wisconsin-Plateville and the Ohio Northern Polar Bears for 18th place overall scoring 11 points.
Final Results
To get day three started for JCU, the men's 4x100 meter relay of Cam Klauke, Garrett Clark, Dustin Horner, and Jimmy Kartsonas would place sixth overall in the final with a time of 40.86 seconds to earn All-American honors in the event. This was the third consecutive All-American finish for the Blue Streak men in the relay.
The meet would be held off for a couple of hours due to a rain/lightning delay in the Myrtle Beach area. That didn't phase the Blue Streaks as they prepared for the next opportunity that awaits.
Next up was sophomore Basheer Alramahi in the open 400 meter dash final as he would earn his first All-American accolade outdoors in the event, placing seventh overall with a time of 47.40 seconds. This would be Alramahi's second consecutive All-American finish in the 400 meter event as he was coming off a third place finish from indoors.
For the final event of the night, the men's 4x400 meter relay of Garrett Clark, Dustin Horner, Tyler Gast, and Basheer Alramahi would toe the line for the Blue Streaks to end the 2024 outdoor campaign. The group made the most out of the experience as they would rebound from last year's fifth place finish and place third overall with a time of 3:10.72. They would earn their second consecutive All-American honor in the event.
The Blue Streak men would walk away with an 18th place finish overall, scoring 11 points at this year's outdoor national championship meet to conclude the 2024 outdoor track & field season.
Senior Garrett Clark was happy with the way his team fought tooth and nail for every position throughout the meet and is grateful for the opportunity. "It felt great to come away with a 3rd place finish," mentioned Clark. "I'm proud of myself and my teammates for taking a high scoring place in the country. Everyone played their part throughout the season and it paid off tonight."
Clark will now cement his legacy as the most decorated track & field athlete to ever put on a JCU uniform. With adding two All-American accolades to his stellar resume, he now becomes a 13 time All-American for the Blue Streaks in both indoor and outdoor. Garrett has become a true asset to this program and will continue to do great things in the near future and beyond.
"I'm going to remember the memories shared with my teammates and coaches," emphasized Clark. "All the hard work over the past few years has paid off every time and has rewarded me with lifelong friends and memories. I'll also remember some of my best races and the feeling of accomplishment in breaking my personal bests."
Coach Daniel Tutskey talked greatly about his group and the way they went out there and competed amidst the conditions and the highs and lows about the meet.
"There are some things you wish were better and some things that surprised you," exclaimed Tutskey. "You have meets where good and bad things happen. At the end of the day, when you're in that position, they are able to go out there and compete to the best of their ability on the day."
Tutskey reflects on his seniors and how much they meant to the program throughout their last four to five years and will remember them for who they are as not just student/athletes, but people as well.
"I had these guys (Cam, Mick, and Garrett) who have been in the program for as long as I've been here," says Tutskey. "They established a standard that I think teams in the future will uphold. Those guys are irreplaceable, in terms of what they bring to the track and how they treat each other on a daily basis. They are special athletes in unique ways."
Head Coach Kyle Basista was pleased with the way day three went for the Blue Streaks as they continue to rise to the occasion for the program on the national level. More importantly, Coach Basista also reflected upon the seniors and what they brought to the program as a whole.
"We have a special group of seniors who have been a pivotal part of our foundational success of our program and it goes beyond just the track and the field," exclaimed Basista. "We've been truly blessed to be in the presence of these guys and to say that we will miss them is an understatement. They left the program better than they found it and at the end of the day, that's all you can ask for. Onward On."
It was truly another successful season for the Blue Streaks as they continue to raise the bar for the program and for JCU Athletics as a whole. History was made tonight in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
