WALNUT, Calif.- Clayton College & State University's 4x400m relay team advanced to the finals of the NCAA Division II Track & Field Championships Friday in Walnut, CA, and now has a good shot of picking up All-America honors in the event on Saturday. 

The relay team of senior Rother Heard (Conyers), junior Carlos Guyton (Thomasville, GA), freshman Eric Simmons (Carrollton, GA) and freshman Brian Etelman (Marietta, GA) posted the sixth fastest time in the two preliminary heats Friday, advancing the team to the finals on Saturday. 

Clayton State finished with a time of 3:13.04, which was good for third in its heat behind winner Abilene Christian with a time of 3:10.41 and second place finisher Texas A&M Commerce at 3:12.78. North Dakota State had the fastest overall time in the other heat with a time of 3:10.41. 

The top two relay teams from each of the two heats plus the other five fastest times advanced to the finals on Saturday. Clayton State entered the preliminaries with the seventh fastest 4x 400m team in Division II. 

The finals of the 4x400m event will be at 7:15 p.m. (Pacific Daylight Time) on Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College. The top eight of the nine teams in the race will receive All-America honors. 

The Clayton State track squad is participating in the national meet for the third time in four years. Joni Guffey (Frankfort, KY) became the school's first and only All-America in the 1500m in 2002.