Hall of Honor: Nation's special abilities put Pioneer Women's Track and Field on the map

The stories of the 2008 and 2009 Wayland Baptist Women's Track and Field Indoor and Outdoor National Championship victories can't be told without acknowledging their jack of all trades – Latanya Nation.

 

A native of Clarendon, Jamaica, Nation was a 15-time All-American, including three First Team All-American awards and three Second Team All-American awards. In Nation's first two campaigns with the Pioneers, she secured nine All-American recognitions including three Indoor All-American awards and six Outdoor All-American awards.

 

"Being selected to the WBU Athletics Hall of Honor is a significant milestone for me. It represents years of hard work, dedication, and my passion for track and field. My time at Wayland Baptist was special, not only because of the championships and titles, but because of the lifelong friendships and memories I have made with my former teammates, coaches, and professors who were incredibly supportive and accommodating, especially with our many travels as student-athletes." said Nation.

 

During these historic championship runs, Nation was only a freshman and sophomore – cementing herself as one of the top youngsters in the country and a future star for the Pioneers. Nation competed in numerous events such as the 55m Hurdles, 60m Hurdles, 4x100m Relay, Long Jump, High Jump, and the Pentathlon. In 2008, Nation broke the program record in the Pentathlon with a total of 3,409 points earned.

 

Nation was a member of the 4x100m relay squads that secured back-to-back first-place finishes in the Outdoor National Championships. In 2008, her squad finished with a time of 46.21, narrowly defeating second place Oklahoma Baptist University. Her Outdoor 4x100m relay team followed up in 2009 by winning first place with a time of 45.27, fending off second place winners McKendree.

 

As a Senior, Nation capped off her dominant collegiate career by securing an individual Indoor National Championship in the long jump after posting a leap of 19-02.75. It was Nation's third time competing in the women's long jump at the NAIA Indoor National Championships. After finishing in fifth as a freshman in 2008 and third as a sophomore in 2009, Nation's hard-work, determination, and development helped her capture this illustrious title.

 

Nation credits her outstanding accomplishments as a Pioneer to the hard-work, dedication, and passion she had for Track and Field. She loved her coaches and teammates like family, and those relationships she built while at WBU were fierce and unlike any other. 

 

"The support and encouragement from my former coaches, Brian Whitlock and Rohan Thompson, were instrumental in my success. They have pushed me to be the best version of myself, both on and off the track. My teammates were like family, and we shared a bond that went beyond just competing together," said Nation. "We motivated each other to achieve greatness, and those national championships we won together are some of my most cherished memories. As a team, we were a force to be reckoned with, truly fierce competitors! Having teammates from Kenya, the U.S.A, Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados and Grenada was a great learning experience, enriching my time at Wayland."

 

Coach Brian Whitlock saw enormous potential in Nation, because she was an incredibly gifted athlete who could excel in more than one event. 

 

"Latanya was a special athlete.  She had the ability to do three events and did them all very well…especially at national meets.  Latanya was a hard worker that was passionate about us winning.  She was a competitor," said Coach Whitlock. "She was a great teammate and one that could be counted on not only on the track, but also as a friend to many of the girls during those years. She was on our first title team during my time there and did so much for Wayland Baptist to get the track program on the map.  Such a well-deserved honor."

 

Nation graduated from Wayland Baptist in 2013 and became a graduate assistant coach for the Pioneer Men's and Women's Track and Field teams – wanting to help instill the same values in the younger generation of Pioneers that she learned during her time in Plainview.

 

"Being a Wayland Baptist Pioneer was transformative. The sense of community, the values instilled in me, and the commitment to excellence helped shape me into the person I am today," said Nation. "I am always and forever grateful to Wayland Baptist University for the opportunities and unwavering support I received there."