Patterson leads trio named to USTFCCCA All-Region team

NEW ORLEANS - Ulysses Patterson, Kendrick Achebe, and Clarke Latcham represented Simpson on the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region team as announced on Tuesday.

Patterson and Latcham earned All-Region in the heptathlon while Achebe was honored in the 60m dash. All three qualified for the NCAA Division III Indoor National Championships and will compete starting this Friday, March 14 in Rochester, New York.

Patterson broke his own school record at the A-R-C Indoor Championships on March 1. The senior became the first Storm athlete to break the 5,000 point mark, finishing with 5,021 points, which also set the conference meet record. For his efforts, Patterson was named the A-R-C Field Athlete of the Meet. Patterson ranks ninth in the country in the heptathlon.

Achebe broke the school record in the 60m dash, a record that had stood since 1995, with a mark of 6.81 seconds at the Wartburg final qualifier over last weekend. Achebe's time in the 60m is 17th fastest time in the NCAA Division III this season.

Latcham earned his spot after scoring 4,825 points at the Wartburg final qualifier, placing him 21st overall in the country. His highest scoring events came in the 60m dash (789 points) and the 60m hurdles (779 points). His 4,825 points puts him second all-time in school history, just behind his teammate Patterson.

For Patterson, the award marks the fourth All-Region honor in his historic career, while for Latcham and Achebe it is the first of their careers.

The National Championships will be a two-day event, starting on Friday, March 14. Live results and video of the meet will be available on simpsonathletics.com and ncaa.com.