INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Clayton State sophomore Chris Florence (Newnan, Ga.) will have the opportunity to  continue a tremendous campaign as he has qualified for the 2018 NCAA Division II Men's Track & Field Championships as announced on Tuesday, May 15. 
 
Florence earned the trip in the 400-meters as he posted the 20^th fastest qualifying time in the nation, doing so with a mark of 47.44 at the Tennessee Challenge (5/5). He entered the week 25^th in the nation, five spots outside of qualification, but made the cut following a combination of injuries to individuals ahead of him as well as other provisional qualifiers earning bids in other events.
 
Additionally, he is one of just three Southeast Region student-athletes to qualify and is the first member of the men's track & field program to make the trip since Job Kemboi in the 10,000-meters in 2015. Overall, Florence is the first Laker, men's or women's, to earn a spot at the highest level of competition since Jessica Matthews (Monroe, Ga.) did so in the triple jump in 2016.
 
"It is great news for the program to learn Chris qualified for the outdoor championships," said head coach Mike Mead. "His off-season training and hard work paid off! Ironic that it has been 10 years since we last had a 400-meter guy (Eric Simmons) make it to nationals."

This year's championship will be hosted by Johnson C. Smith in Charlotte, North Carolina from May 24-26. Full coverage of Florence's quest for an individual national championship will be covered on www.ClaytonStateSports.com.