Parker's speed to be tested at NCAA national meet

Editor's note: This is the third in a series of stories on Eastern New Mexico University athletes heading to the Division II national track and field championships. Tuesday's story will feature senior high jumper Kenneth Lloyd.

PORTALES — People always seem to be gunning for the top dog, trying to knock them off of their pedestal. For sprinters at this week's NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the top dog is a Greyhound.

Sophomore Marcus Parker has earned the nickname, "The Greyhound Flash" online by University President Jeff Elwell, and for good reason. He's got Division II's fastest 200-meter time (20.43) by nearly three-10ths of a second, and he's third in the 100.

Parker's best time of 10.17 is topped only by Pittsburg State's NaRon Rollins (10.09) and Lincoln's Roberto Smith (10.16).

"Coming into outdoor, I've been happy with my times and I couldn't ask for anything more (out of this season)," Parker said. "Typical nerves (going into nationals), but after this outdoor season, I've felt pretty good, pretty confident."

A big key for Parker is consistency. That showed during the indoor season, after he won Lone Star Conference titles in both the 60 and 200 meter dash. Parker then went on to place fifth in the 200 (21.37 seconds) and sixth (6.76) in the 60 meters at the Indoor Nationals.

Parker has only gotten stronger in the spring, posting eight combined 100 and 200 meter dash victories at five combined meets, before once again claiming a pair of LSC titles, after a 10.22-second effort in the 100 and a 20.87-second performance in the 200, earlier this month.

"One thing I did this year more is pretty much diet and watch what I eat," Parker explained. "I do ice baths to recover, and you don't stress the body too much."

Parker expects to run in the 10.1-10.2 range in the 100 in Charlotte, and around 20.6 or 20.7 in the 200.

There should be great competition in both, as Parker anticipates Rollins to be one of the toughest challengers in the 100. In the 200, Rollins (20.72, third) and Academy of Art's Mobolade Ajomale (20.75, fourth) could be the two that could stand in his way in the 200.

Parker, already a two-time Cap Shelton Award winner for LSC's top male athlete, has had many great moments this year.

In particular, he looks back fondly on his seventh-place, personal record time of 10.17 seconds that he's carrying into nationals. He was the only Division II runner to make the finals.

"Making finals for the Texas Relays was a big accomplishment," Parker said. "Running in the finals and I P.R.'ed with a 10.17, and everyone's times were just ridiculous."

With one more big event to go this season, and the success he's garnered all throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons, is Parker, perhaps the favorite to win in both the 100 and 200, feeling the pressure of the task at hand?

"It's a big confidence booster, being consistent and running good," Parker explained. "It opens up a lot of people's eyes, but I just try to stay humble and race my race."