Azusa Pacific Wins Fifth Straight Title in NAIA Track and Field Meet

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — Tim Lomheim and Ade Olokujo won as expected and Jack Nance picked up bonus points in the high jump as Azusa Pacific won its fifth straight National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics track and field championship Saturday.

Lomheim cleared 15-11 on his third try to remain alive in the pole vault and then won at 16-8.

Olokujo, part of Azusa’s Nigerian connection that began with Innocent Egbunike in the early 1980s, won the discus with a personal best of 185-5 1/2. He won the shotput Friday.

Nance, who earlier won the decathlon, cleared 6-11 to place second in the high jump. At that point, Azusa Coach Terry Franson said his team was in the driver’s seat. “Jack picked up some major insurance,” he said.

Azusa Pacific finished with 102 points. Wayland Baptist (Tex.) was second with 74 and Prairie View A&M; (Tex.) third with 56.

The meet was interrupted twice by stormy weather.

Maurice Smith of Adams State (Colo.) led a record-breaking assault on an 11-year-old record in the 1,500 meters. He finished in 3:43.70, more than a second better than the record established by Mike Boit of Eastern New Mexico.

The next three finishers--Brian Williams of Anderson, Ind., Wes Tilgner of Western Oregon State, and Mike Pace of Central Washington--also broke the record of 3:44.88.