Ricardo Chambers watched as the flame atop the "Unconquered" statue outside Doak Campbell Stadium sparked to life. He helped light that flame, winning the NCAA championship in the 400-meter dash this past weekend and helping the Seminoles win their second straight men's team title.

Now there will be other areas for Chambers to conquer.

The junior announced that he will become a professional during the team's celebration of its 2007 national crown.

"I'm going to go to a different level," Chambers said. "I felt this was the moment for me to go. I was ready to go."

Chambers provided a few of the most exciting seconds of the NCAA Track and Field Championships, when he and Southern Cal's Lionel Larry crossed the finish line at nearly the same time. When the results were posted, Chambers had beaten Larry by two hundredths of a second.

"I feel really good," he said. "I feel like we started something here that will keep going. I feel we turned this university into a major track power and I was part of the first."

Chambers, the Jamaican national champion in the 400, also won the 2007 indoor national championship in the event and was the 2006 ACC Indoor Performer of the Year. Head track and field coach Bob Braman said Chambers has a very bright future in the sprinting world.

"He's going to do really well," Braman said. "He never got his spot in the sun because Walter was such a big shadow. He was our highest-ranked athlete last year, the eighth-fastest 400 runner in the world. This is good for Ricardo. It's great for him.

"We'd love to have him another year," Braman added, "but you have to go when you think it's right to go"

Chambers said he plans on staying around Tallahassee to train, something Braman said is a great thing.

"The great thing that Florida State has done is that they've always embraced their pros," he said.