VIDEO: Sterling Melancon Interview
ALLENDALE, Mich. - The Carson-Newman track & field team wrap up the 2021 outdoor season this weekend as Isaiah Kyle, Sterling Melancon and Devon Moore compete for national championship honors.
The week begins on Thursday, May, 27 at 3:30 P.M. for Melancon and Moore with the prelims of the 100 meter run. The top eight times will move onto the final round on Saturday, May, 29 at 2:20 P.M.
On Friday, May, 28, Kyle will look to obtain his second national championship in the high jump with the event beginning at 2:00 P.M. Moore will also compete on Friday, this time in the prelims of the 200 meter run at 2:45 P.M. If Moore places inside the top-eight in the event, he will run in the finals on Saturday, May, 29 at 3:20 P.M.
Moore ended the regular season tied for the second-fastest time in the nation in the 100 meter run, setting a blistering mark of 10.30 seconds, tying his own school record and personal best in the event. Moore has competed in the 100 meter run 12 times in his career, winning the event six times and finishing no lower than third-place. He earned a third place finish in the event the last time he competed at the 2019 Outdoor National Championships.
Moore finished the season with the fourth fastest time in the nation in the 200 meter run, winning the South Atlantic Conference Championship in the event with a time of 20.78 seconds, his first-ever outdoor conference gold medal. The Baxley, Ga. native has competed in the event nine times in his career, finishing outside the top three once after placing seventh in the prelims at the 2019 Outdoor National Championships. He went on to finish third in the final.
Melancon has been the definition of a diaper dandy in his first year in Mossy Creek. After just missing the cut in the 60 meter run during the indoor season, the Mt. Juliet, Tenn. native owns the eighth fastest time in the 100 meter run with a time of 10.36 seconds set at the Lee Last Chance Meet. The 2021 SAC Male Freshman of the Year has finished in the top-10 of 26 of his 27 races he has competed in between the indoor and outdoor season. Melancon has done all of this while still being under 18 years old, as his time in the 100 meter run ranks him ninth in the entire world for the event amongst athletes under 18.
"I have high standards and goals for myself, especially with winning a state championship in high school," says Melancon. "So missing the national championship in indoor humbled me a bit. But being able to run with Devon, who's like a brother to me, has shown me that if I want to be great I still have to pass the standards that he's set in his time here."
Kyle wrapped up his first outdoor season in almost two years with the seventh-best jump in the nation for the outdoor high jump, recording a clearance of 2.12 meters at the Montreat Final. Kyle has been the model of consistency this season for the Eagles, as the Morristown, Tenn. native has finished either first or second place in every event he has competed in this season. Kyle won the SAC Championship in the high jump this season with a clearance of 2.11 meters. Kyle is no stranger to championship success, as the grad student won the 2019 Indoor high jump national championship as a member of the Wingate Bulldogs squad with a jump of 2.20 meters.
"It feels special to end my career here," says Kyle. "Coach Stepp and the relationship with him is why I'm here. He's always had my back since I was at Wingate. He's done a lot for me and I'm glad I get to end my career in my hometown."
A live stream of all three days and live stats for the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championships are available at ncaa.com. Fans can also follow along with live updates of the three Eagle athletes on twitter at @cnathletics.
