Ashland University will have a National Champions Ceremony for the 2018-19 Eagle men's indoor track and field team on April 30.
The ceremony will be preceded by a parade at 3 p.m., starting at the Dwight Schar College of Education building on College Boulevard. The parade will go to College Avenue, then Claremont Avenue, then Jefferson Street, then Broad Street, and end at Ferguson Field. Aber's Towing and Crane Service will provide a tow truck for the team, and Donley Ford of Ashland will provide courtesy cars, as well.
At Ferguson Field, those who are scheduled to speak at the ceremony are Ashland Director of Athletics Al King, City of Ashland Mayor Matt Miller, Ashland Track and Field Head Coach Jud Logan, and senior Myles Pringle. Miller will issue a proclamation from the city, recognizing the team's national championship.
"I remember the year that the women (women's basketball in 2017) won the national title," Logan said, "and track was asked to be part of their parade, because we had a high nationals finish that year. I remember riding on the vehicle downtown, and the pavilion, and the Mayor, and the President, and I remember, in all honesty, just staring at that gold trophy.
"For us to have that moment, and to be celebrating the (Division II) gold trophy for the first time in school history will be special for our kids."
On March 9, Ashland's men won the first NCAA Division II team track and field national championship in program history, earning the team title on the final event of the weekend, the men's 4x400-meter relay. The points earned by Pringle, junior Paul Murray, sophomore Channing Phillips and freshman Brayden Chaney gave Ashland 38 as a team – one more than second-place Adams State.