NCAA Indoor Championship Review

The indoor season is now officially over. Congratulations to the University of Oregon women's track and field and the University of Florida men's track team on winning the team NCAA title. This meet at times left you with your emotions going all over the place (at least me). There were top performers and previous All-Americans not advancing. There were also some top performers winning convincingly. Let's review a great meet.


WOMEN'S REVIEW


Sprints

LaKya Brookins of South Carolina put on a clinic in the 60 meter dash. Brookins tied the NCAA record and broke the meet record with a time of 7.09. In the past Brookins has not been able to fully carry over her indoor performance to the outdoor season this season maybe a little different. Jessica Young of TCU was second clocking in at 7.17

In the 200 meter dash on a banked track having lanes 5 and 6 really matter. Kimberlyn Duncan of LSU proved that along with the average performances from those lanes. Running from lane 5 Duncan clocked in at 22.85 over Jeneba Tarmoh of Texas A&M at 22.88. Duncan is a sophomore with a personal record of 22.78. Duncan seems to be the next star out of LSU.

Jessica Beard was simply amazing. Pushed by her home crowd, Beard ran a indoor personal best 50.79 to claim the title. Beard capped off a phenomenal career at Texas A&M and maybe this outdoor season we can see a sub 50 second performance.

Brianna Rollins of Clemson was a surprise winner in the 60 hurdles with a time of 7.96 over true freshman Tiffani McReynolds of Baylor. Rollins had the only sub 8 second performance of the season. Favorite Christina Manning out of Ohio State did not make it to the finals.


DISTANCE

Oregon's Jordan Hasay live up to expectation. Hasay completed the rare double winning the mile and 3,000 meter races. Hasay claimed the mile in a time of 4:33.01 over Kate Van Buskirk of Duke in 4:33.71. Hasay clocked in at 9:13.71 in the 3,000 in a close battle against Sheila Reid of Villanova.

In the 800 Chanelle Price of Tennessee was the clear cut favorite, for part of the race it looked as though Price was finally going to live up to the hype. Unfortunately that was not so, Lacey Bleazard of BYU came storming around the track the last 100 meters to hold off Jillian Smith of Michigan to win with a time of 2:04.09.

Senior Jackie Areson of Tennessee took home the title in the 5,000 clocking in at 16:04.16.

JUMPS

Senior Kimberly Williams from Florida State had the best chance to double in the jumps. Williams entered the championship meet as the top triple jumper in the nation and one of the best long jumpers in the nation. Williams did not disappoint in the triple jump winning by more than 1 foot with a mark of 45-9 3/4. Williams finished 2nd in the long jump with a mark 21-0.
Torie Bowie of Southern Mississippi won the event with a winning mark of 21-4 3/4.

Preseason favorite Brigetta Barrett of Arizona lived up to the hype winning the high jump in 6-2 3/4. One foot higher than runner-up freshman Shanay Briscoe of Texas.

Tina Sutej of Arkansas didn't break the 15 foot barrier however her consolation prize is the national title. Sutej mark of 14-7 1/4. Sutej, a junior, will have another chance later this season.


THROWS

Julie Labonte of Arizona interrupted the 1-2 finish that Oklahoma had planned. Labonte's winning throw of 57-6 1/4 was her 2nd throw in the competition. Tia Brooks still finished for Oklahoma with a runner up performance of 57-1.

Felisha Johnson of Indiana State claimed the weigh throw title with a facility record of 74-5 1/2.


PENTATHLON

Brianne Theisen of Oregon claimed another NCAA record. At the championship meet she scored a total of 4,540 points in the pentathlon. Theisen has replaced Jacquelyn Johnson as the premier college pentathlete and heptathlete. The outdoor season should be exciting for Theisen.


Next Post: Men's Review (I promise)