BARBOURVILLE, Ky. - Union College is sending a talented group of athletes to the 2009 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championship which starts Thursday in Johnson City, Tenn. at Memorial Center. All four of Union's entries rank in the Top-15.

The expectations are there for Union head coach Jamie Jimison.

"We are in a good spot right now," said Jimison. "We know that if everyone goes down and does what they have been doing all season some pretty special things can happen for us."

Johnnie Nabors (Lawrenceville, Ga.) finished third in the 60-meter dash last season. His qualifying time of 6.76 seconds ranks second going into the event and is currently a program record. Kemar Hyman from King (Tenn.) College owns the fastest qualifying time at 6.73. In all 36 athletes are entered in the event.

Nabors ran the event in 6.82 seconds en route to a third-place and All-American finish in 2008. He was third in 2007 as well.

The 60 prelims are scheduled for 1:50 p.m. Friday followed by the semifinals at 4:05 p.m. The finals will be held at 1:25 p.m. Saturday.

DeMorrio Leggett (Bardstown, Ky.) and his school-record triple jump of 47 feet and 10 1/2 inches currently ranks fourth entering the event.

Leggett and a field of 15 jumpers compete Saturday at 1 p.m. in the prelims followed by the finals. Dickinson State (N.D.) University's Kurt McCormack and his leap of 49 feet and 8 1/2 inches currently ranks first going into Saturday's event.

Andre Thornton (Loganville, Ga.) enters the 400 meters with the seventh-best time, 49.12 seconds, which is also a Union record. He qualified for the 2008 championship and finished eighth behind a 49.48 second run. Thornton was an All-American in the 200 last season at the championship.

Dickinson State's Ramon Miller qualified first with a time of 47.14 seconds. He is nearly a second faster than Colin Koth, from the University of Sioux Falls (S.D.).

The 400 semifinals will begin Friday at 3:10 p.m. with the finals Saturday at 1 p.m.

Johnny Barnes (Stone Mountain, Ga.) and Marekus Smith (Lithonia, Ga.) join Nabors and Thornton for the 1,600 relay. Nabors, Thornton and Barnes were a part of the squad that finished 15th last season. The 2009 quartet enter the event with the 14th fastest qualifying time at three minutes and 20.10 seconds.

Oklahoma City University enters the event as the fastest team thanks to a run of 3:16.08.

The preliminary races will be Thursday at 6:15 p.m. and the finals will be the last running event Saturday at 4:15 p.m.

"We have worked very hard to be where we are, and are entering the meet with high expectations," Jimison added.

The final men's roster list features 600 entries from 94 squads competing in 21 events over three days.

For more championship information, click here.

Union Schedule of Events

Thursday, March 5

6:15 p.m. - 1,600 Meter Relay Prelims

Friday, March 6

1:50 p.m. - 60 Meter Dash Prelims
3:10 p.m. - 400 Meter Semifinals
4:05 p.m. - 60 Meter Dash Semifinals

Saturday, March 7

1 p.m. - 400 Meter Finals
1 p.m. - Triple Jump Prelims & Finals
1:25 p.m. - 60 Meter Dash Finals
4:15 p.m. - 1,600 Meter Relay Finals