Freshman Rasheem Brown is currently the NAIA national record holder in 60 meter hurdles. Photo by Ike Ndulue.
If you have been following the Track and Field Buffs for the past year, then you know the name Rasheem Brown. Brown’s first year with Milligan’s track team is full of accomplishments uncommon for a freshman. Recently, he came in first in the 200 meter run in 21:74 and third in the 1 x 400 relay race in 43:02 at Lenoir Rhyne University. He has already been AAC athlete of the week three times this year.
Prior to the events at Lenoir Rhyne, the Cayman Island native became only the 7th individual athlete from Milligan to be an NAIA National Champion. Breaking his own championship record, Brown finished at 7:81 to set a new national record. In an earlier statement, head coach Chris Layne said about Brown, “He had his sights set on running fast, and it was awesome to see that play out for both him and (assistant coach) B.T. Pham.”
The Stampede had a chat with Brownto talk a little about himself and his journey so far with Buffnation.
Q: When did you start your career in track?
A: I started running when I was six years old. I found that as I kept running, I kept building my confidence on the track.
Q: How did you come to know about Milligan College from the Cayman Islands?
A: My coach has a great relationship with Chris Layne, so through my coach, I got to know about Milligan, and it made it easier to be a part of the program. I came here sometime in January 2018.
Q: What’s your take on the track team?
A: The most important thing I like about my experience with this team is that I never used to be part of a team. I’ve never practiced as a team member so that is new for me. As the day goes on, we get to understand each other better and we really learn a lot from each other. Antoine Fergusson, my teammate, is also from the Caribbean, so I learn a lot from him during practice.
Q: What do you think you will be known for after your college years?
A: I would say people would recognize me as a humble person, well-mannered I would say. Really fast, because I am really good at what I do.
Q: What can we expect from Rasheem Brown in the near future?
A: I will be competing internationally for my country. I’ll be heading to Peru in July and Mexico in August. I am looking forward to qualifying for the world championships in Doha and the upcoming Olympics next year.