Day One Notes – NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships

Day One Notes – NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships

2014 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Day 1 Notes

USTFCCCA National Championships Central

Called attendance: 9,165
Weather: Sunny, Clear

Men’s 10,000 Meters

  1. Edward Cheserek (FR), Oregon, 28:30.18 [PB]
    6k: 17:01.82, 8k: 22:52.52, final lap: 53.17
  2. Shadrack Kipchirchir (SR), Oklahoma State, 28:32.31
    final lap: 55.17
  3. Mohammed Ahmed (SR), Wisconsin, 28:43.82

Cheserek is the first freshman to win event since UTEP’s Suleiman Nyambui (1979) … Cheserek is first from Oregon to claim the title since Galen Rupp (2009) … Cheserek won the NCAA cross country title in the fall and indoor 3000 and 5000 meter titles in March … He is the first man since Rupp in 2008-09 to sweep the individual cross country, indoor 3000 meters, indoor 5000 meters, and outdoor 10,000 meters titles in the same academic year … Rupp also won the outdoor 5000 meters during that time frame – an accomplishment Cheserek can match Friday evening – before winning the inaugural 2009 The Bowerman Trophy as the most outstanding individual male in collegiate track & field.

Men’s Pole Vault

  1. Sam Kendricks (JR), Mississippi, 5.70/18-8¼ [=CL]
    5.10, 5.25, 5.40, 5.50[2], 5.55[2], 5.60[3], 5.65[XPP], 5.70[2]
  2. Shawn Barber (SO), Akron, 5.65/18-6½
  3. Jake Blankenship (SO), Tennessee, 5.55/18-2½

Kendricks is first to win back-to-back titles in the event since Oregon’s Tommy Skipper (2006, 2007). … First competition since 1991 with nine or more to clear 18 feet or more … Team battle: Texas A&M’s Chase Wolfie tied for fifth, Texas’ Reese Watson tied for seventh.

Men’s Shot Put

  1. Ryan Crouser (JR), Texas, 21.12/69-3½
  2. Stephen Mozia (JR), Cornell, 20.46/67-1½
  3. Nick Vena (JR), Georgia, 20.16/66-1¾

Crouser joins a long-line of repeat winners in the outdoor shot, including most recent repeaters Jordan Clarke (Arizona State, 2011-12) and Ryan Whiting (Arizona State, 2009-10) … Crouser’s 21.12 is the best to win the meet since Ryan Whiting’s 21.97/72-1 in 2010.

Women’s Long Jump

  1. Jenna Prandini (SO), Oregon, 6.55/21-6 (1.2) [PB]
    20-11¼w, 21-1¼, p, f, 21-6, p
  2. Sha’Keela Saunders (FR), Kentucky, 6.43/21-1¼  (1.4)
  3. Kylie Price (JR), UCLA, 6.43/21-1¼ (0.9)

Prandini is first Duck to win NCAA title in event … Prandini also first underclassman winner since FSU’s Kim Williams (’09) … Saunders records Kentucky’s best finish ever in the event  (Ola Sesay, 6th, 1999).

Women’s Javelin

  1. Fawn Miller (JR), Florida, 58.13/190-8 [PB]
  2. Avione Allgood (SO), Oklahoma, 55.59/182-4
  3. Victoria Paterra (SR), Miami (Ohio), 55.54/182-3

Miller is first Gator to win javelin title since Evelien Dekkers (2010) … Miller’s mark improves her standing as the ninth-best in collegiate history (new implement).

Women’s Hammer

  1. Julia Ratcliffe (SO), Princeton, 66.88/219-5
    192-0, 209-8, 214-6, 216-8, 219-5, 210-7
  2. Emily Hunsucker (SR), Colorado, 64.83/212-8
    203-6, 211-11, f, f, 204-2, 212-8
  3. Brooke Pleger (JR), Bowling Green, 64.48/211-6
    205-10, 211-6, 211-1, f, 204-5, 203-5

Ratcliffe is Princeton’s first female national champ in program history … first underclassman to win event since Georgia’s Nikola Lomnicka (2010) … Team battle: LSU’s Denise Hinton placed fifth; Oregon’s Jillian Weir took sixth.

Men’s Decathlon – Day 1

After Day 1 – 5 of 10 events

  1. Johannes Hock (SO), Texas, 4243
    10.69w, 7.41, 15.06, 1.96, 49.48
  2. Zach Ziemek (JR), Wisconsin, 4223
    10.81w, 7.73, 12.63, 2.08, 50.21
  3. Viktor Fajoyomi (SR), Southern California, 4166
    11.12w, 7.56, 12.72, 2.11, 49.75

In the team battle, Georgia sits 4-5 with Maicel Uibo and Garrett Scantling; Oregon is 7-8 with Dakota Keys and Mitch Modin.

 

Track Prelims

Men’s 4×100 Relay: Western Kentucky auto won heat 1 in school record 39.18, advancing to the NCAA final for the first time in program history. … SEC moves four to Saturday’s final with top-qualifier Texas A&M (38.60), Florida, LSU, and Alabama.

Women’s 4×100 Relay: USC won heat 1 in 43.08, a season’s best and the top qualifier – just off school record time of 42.96. … Oregon, in heat 2, dropped the baton in the first exchange and did not finish. … SEC moves four to Saturday’s final

Men’s 800 Meters: Mississippi State’s Brandon McBride was top qualifier in 1:48.09 … Chris Low is Long Beach State’s first-ever finalist in the event.

Women’s 800 Meters: Oregon’s Laura Roesler was top qualifier in 2:02.60 … second-place in heat 1 was Stanford sophomore Claudia Saunders who scored a personal-best with a 2:02.68 run. … Dartmouth’s Megan Krumpoch is the first-ever finalist in the event.

Men’s 400 Meters: Texas A&M’s Deon Lendore was top qualifier in 45.18 … setting up a great head-to-head battle with team implications, Florida advanced Hugh Graham, Jr. and Najee Glass – Oregon moved Mike Berry – and Texas A&M qualified Deon Lendore for Friday’s final.

Women’s 400 Meters: Texas sophomore Courtney Okolo had top qualifier in 50.78 …Texas moves three to Friday’s final (three to Friday’s final (Nelson, Okolo, Baisden) – last to move 3 in same event, South Carolina, 2002 – South Carolina won national team title that same year … two-time defending champion Ashley Spencer of Texas did not finish, pulling up off the final turn.

Men’s 100 Meters: Baylor’s Trayvon Bromell equaled fourth-fastest all-conditions time in NCAA meet history with wind-aided 9.92 (2.2) for top qualifying position … also equals fastest qualifier in meet history, regardless of conditions … All-time bests in NCAA meet history (all-conditions): Ngoni Makusha (Florida State, 2011) 9.89, Charles Silmon (TCU, 2013) 9.89w, Dentarius Locke (Florida State, 2013) 9.91w, Ato Boldon (UCLA, 1992) 9.92, Trayvon Bromell (Baylor, 2014) 9.92qw, Charles Silmon (TCU, 2013) 9.92qw. (q – in semifinal) … Northwestern State (La.) and North Carolina A&T advanced finalists for the first time in their program’s history.

Women’s 100 Meters: Alabama junior Remona Burchell with top qualifier of 10.95w (2.3 m/s). … Burchell’s time is the fastest at the NCAA meet, regardless of conditions since 2004 (Lauryn Williams, Miami, Fla., 2004 [qualifying]) … Texas’ Akinosun, Oregon’s Prandini, Texas A&M’s Olivia Ekpone and Jennifer Madu, along with Florida’s Shayla Sanders sets scene for big head-to-head matchup for team battle.

Men’s 400 Meter Hurdles: Kansas’ Michael Stigler with top qualifier, 49.34.

Women’s 400 Meter Hurdles: Kentucky junior Kendra Harrison with top qualifier, 55.56 … Kentucky, LSU, and Texas A&M advanced two to the finals apiece, making six total for the SEC.

Women’s Steeplechase: Cornell senior Rachel Sorna notched best qualifier at 9:53.76 … West Virginia’s Sarah Martinelli set new school record with run of 10:05.27,finishing fourth in her heat.

Day 1 Quotes

(Courtesy of NCAA)

Quotes – Wednesday Winners

Julia Ratcliffe, Princeton – First Place Women’s Hammer Throw
On how it feels to win a National Championship…
“It’s huge. I’m just so thankful for all the people who have helped me out to get here like my coach, my dad, my family, and the whole Princeton team. But also I’m just really proud of myself because last year I kind of bombed out, so to come back and win it just feels so good.”

On joining other Princeton women leaders…
“It’s just an honor. It feels so good to be able to give back to Princeton because I have had so many people give to me and help me out.

“I definitely didn’t expect to win it. I knew coming into it that I had a good shot, but I had to stay calm, controlled, and have fun.”

Jenna Prandini, Oregon – First Place Women’s Long Jump
                                             Advanced to Women’s 100 Meter Final – 11.11
On being a national champion…
“It’s incredible. This is exactly what I wanted to do and I came out here and did it so it’s an amazing feeling.”

On becoming a long jumper…
“Over outdoor season we kind of worked on it a little bit and I got my approach down and got my takeoff down and each meet I got better.”

On if the relay affected her performance…
“No. That’s what happens in meets, ups and downs. I kind of looked at it as just another event that I can stay fresh in, and it helped me in the Long Jump.”

On running the 100 Meter in the middle of the Long Jump…
“I tried to stay focused. My coaches had a plan for me so I just tried to do what they said. I thought about each event one at a time and I was just really excited.”

Sam Kendricks, Mississippi – First place Men’s Pole Vault – 5.70m (18-8 ¼)
On having to battle back after some misses…
“I think you always have to work for it. These guys have worked hard all their lives and I’m just blessed to be in a competition with such great competitors who really bring the best out of you. Having a few misses just made it all the more fun and challenging.”

On how it feels to repeat…
“It means the same thing as it did last year. Means a little bit of vindication for all the hard work you put in.”

Fawn Miller, Florida – First Place Women’s Javelin – 58.13m
On how she was able to improve her throwing distance this year…
“I changed a lot of my technique. That has been really helping me out.”

On her personal record…
“I think I still have some left. Next year I’ll be back.”

Ryan Crouser, Texas – First Place Men’s Shot Put – 21.12m (69-3 ½)
On his injured foot…
“We don’t really know right now. On my last throw I jammed into the toe board and felt a pop. It’s up for grabs right now and I’m going in for an x-ray later."

On his performance before the last throw…
“I was struggling a bit today, but I felt really good and I know the coaches really peaked me well. Things weren’t quite clicking the way I hoped, but it’s not a disappointing day to be able to carry the lead the whole way and I can’t complain with the wind. “

On winning his third national championship in a row…
“It feels great and there’s no place I’d rather do it than Eugene in front of friends and family. That was a really special thing to do and the atmosphere was great. The fans out there are probably the best in the U.S., regardless of school they support everyone and that’s a really special thing to come out and throw to.”

Edward Cheserek, Oregon – First Place Men’s 10,000 Meter – 28:30.18
On the crowd during his last lap…
“The crowd is so huge and crazy, I love that.”

On when he knew he had the race…
“I knew it when [Kennedy] Kithuka told me ‘go’. There were three laps to go and I was like okay. With 400 meters to go I made my move.”

On the upcoming 5K…
“I always focus on one thing at a time. I am just going to wait and see what I have left for the 5K.”

On his final kick…
“I always save energy for the last 400 to go.”