Springfield, Ohio — Wittenberg track and field standout Victor Banjo, class of 2014 from Sugarland, Texas, will compete in the 2012 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 9-10 at Grinnell College (Iowa) after posting the sixth-best time in the nation during the regular season.

After making 11 tackles for the Tiger football team during the 2011 season, Banjo has enjoyed a tremendous inaugural indoor track season in the Red & White, culminating with his first-place finish in the 60-meter dash at the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Indoor Championship meet March 2-3 at Wabash College. His time of 6.93 seconds led the field by a wide margin. It was the first of three All-NCAC honors Banjo received during the weekend, as he followed that victory with third place in the 200-meter dash and third place as a member of the 4x200-meter relay.

Banjo's best time of the 2012 indoor season came at the Ohio State Tune-Up on Feb. 17, when he crossed the finish line in 6.87 seconds, ahead of multiple NCAA Division I student-athletes. Banjo, who was named NCAC Sprints/Hurdles Athlete of the Week on Feb. 11, did not lose a race in the 60-meter dash during the indoor regular season. Along the way, he set school records in the 60-meter and 200-meter dash events.

The top 60-meter dash time in NCAA Division III during the 2012 indoor season was recorded by Dominique Kone of Colby, who hit the tape in 6.80 at the ECAC Division III Indoor Championships on March 2.

"Victor is a great young man to work with, and (Assistant) Coach Paris Hilliard has prepared him well for the national meet," said Wittenberg Cross Country/Track and Field Head Coach Craig Penney. "Victor has had a solid week of work, and he is ready to race fast at NCAA meet. This is a very exciting time for the program and for Victor."

Banjo will compete in a preliminary race at approximately 6:25 p.m. (CST) on Friday, March 9. If he qualifies for the final, he would race again at approximately 4:35 p.m. (CST) on Saturday, March 10.

Banjo is bidding to become the second Wittenberg track and field student-athlete to earn All-America honors in an indoor championship meet. Skip Ivery '04 finished second in the 55-meter hurdles in 2003 and fourth in the 55-meter hurdles in 2004.

Written By: Ryan Maurer