(#6 in a series of 7)
 

ABILENE, Texas - The McMurry University Athletics Department is pleased to announce its Class of 2018 for induction into its Hall of Honor, which is being revealed daily in a series profiles. Our next honoree is the 2008 National Championship Men's Track and Field Team.
 
It is only appropriate that the 2008 team joins its coach, Barbara Crousen, for induction in the HOH Class of 2018. The squad is the first-ever team in McMurry University school history to bring a national title back to Abilene.
 
The McM team's 35 points is still the lowest point total to ever claim the NCAA III men's crown and McMurry did so with just seven competitors at the championships. The team was buoyed by the performance of then-junior Hann Ollison, who had a hand in 34 of the team's 35 points scored (edging SUNY-Cortland's 33 points), to earn the meet's High Point Scorer award.
 
Individually, Ollison won the 400 meters and placed second in the long jump. Ollison then teamed up with Chris Kelley, John Mikalik and Bert Green to win the group's second-consecutive championship in the 4x100 relay.
 
But it came down to final event of the championships - the 4X400-meters - where McMurry's relay team needed to place at least fourth to be able to take home the national title (McMurry entered the meet with the 14th-fastest qualifying time). The quartet of Bryce Williamson, Terry Smith, Mikalik and Ollison, did one better, placed third, to give McMurry University its first-ever national championship.
 
Green's eighth place in the 100 meters accounted for McM's other point. Zach Shew also qualified for the NCAA III championships in the high jump.
 
The 2018 McMurry University Athletics Hall of Honor induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, September 8. For more information regarding tickets to the event, please call McM Athletics at (325) 793-4631.