(OREGON MEN'S AND WOMEN'S NCAA INDOOR CHAMPS)
This past weekend the NCAA Indoor Championship concluded the end of the indoor track season. Today officially began the outdoor season. Not all major college programs compete during the indoor season however there is enough to make the competition great.
Heading into the championship meet the talk of the track world was the University of Florida. Both the men and the women headed into the championship ranked number 1 in the country coming off a very successful SEC Championship. The men had several athletes qualify in high positions as well as the women. However unfortunately for the Gators they would not finish at the top.
In the sprints and hurdles no one program dominated. There were many surprise victories such as freshman Omar McLeod of Arkansas by way of Jamaica in the 60 meter hurdles. Eddie Lovett entered the meet as the top guy, he was the defending champion and meet record holder. He did little to dispel the expectations of him defending his title after an excellent semi-final round. In the final McLeod brought his "A" game clipping Lovett at the line to win in 7.57.
Remona Burchell of Alabama was another surprise winning the 60 meter dash, she too by way of Jamaica. Heading into the meet Dezerea Bryant of Kentucky was the favorite to win the title after dominating at the SEC meet two weeks earlier. Bryant even claimed the 200 meter dash national title in 22.69 on the first dayu of the Championship meet. The expectation was that she would double. Burchell was in the same field and lost to Bryant. At the championship meet she left all the feelings and emotions from that last race in the past. Burchell blasted off to a 7.11, top 10 all-time in college.
The men's and women's 400 was a battle of titans. In the men's 400 Deon Lendore of Texas A&M and Arman (Gino) Hall continued their rivalry with Lendore claiming the NCAA Indoor title in a time of 45.21. Hall seemed to struggle in the semi-final but was able to regain his form and finished 3rd overall in the finals. Vernon Norwood of LSU won a previous heat and based on time finished 2nd overall.
On the women's side Texas brought three young women into the finals. Ashley Spencer the defending outdoor champion, Courtney Okolo and true freshman Kendall Baisden. Spencer ran a great race but was only capable of 2nd place overall. Senior Phyllis Francis of Oregon, a tall and lanky sprinter had only ran the 400 once during the season. However she seemed to be in perfect shape by running the number 1 time in the country in the semi-finals. She bettered that performance in the finals by setting an American and Collegiate record in the 400 by running 50.46.
(Phyllis Francis-Oregon)
The Oregon women received big team points in the women's 800 from Laura Roesler. Roesler spent the entire indoor season at the top of the rankings. Roesler dominated a competitive field to win in 2:03.85. In the men's middle distance the Oregon men claimed big points as well. Senior Mac Fleet garnered 6 points for the team by finishing third in the men's mile. .
Before the meet Lalang was attempting to win three events, something never done before at the NCAA meet. Lalang was listed in the mile, 3,000 and 5,000 meter race. In the 5,000 on day one of his quest for the triple ended swiftly and shockingly. Edward Cheserek the nation's premier distance runner in high school in 2013 pulled away from Lalang in the last part of the race with strong finishing kick. The freshman from Oregon allowed for Lalang to dominate the race early on and make a great move at the end of the race. Chesrek's teammate Parker Stinson finished 3rd to give Oregon a total 16 points in the event. In the 3,000 Lalang would drop out after finishing second in the men on day two. Cheserek still had more to give by defeating Kirubel Erassa of Oklahoma State in the event. Along with Trevor Dunbar the Oregon men scored a combined 14 points in the event.
Abby D'Agostino of Dartmouth has had quite a career. D'Agostino is the defending champion at both 3,000 and 5,000 meter races. She would not disappoint by winning both events to defend her titles. Her 5,000 meter victory was met with a little bit of drama. Early in the race true freshman Erin Finn took the race out hard. Finn led for majority of the race and at one point had over a 100 meter lead on the rest of the field. Finn's experience would prove disastrous as the senior reeled her in each lap towards the later part of the race to claim her victory.
In the field events Texas sophomore Kaitlin Petrillose broke the collegiate record in the pole vault once held by Tina Sutej of Arkansas. Perillose was the only athlete in the field to surpass 15 feet and had three decent attempts at 15-5 1/2. She almost was an early out at 14-7 1/4, but was able to clear the bar on her third attempt.
In the men's long jump sophomore Jarrion Lawson from Arkansas stunned the entire crowd with an amazing final jump of 27-6 1/2. For much of the competition junior Corey Crawford from Rutgers and son of ESPN broadcaster Jay Crawford led. Crawford's 26-3 1/2 led from the 3rd jump on. Lawson's final jump was obviously a big one and will place him in the top 5 all time in collegiate indoor jumps.
James Harris from Florida State also had a big performance in the men's high jump. Harris was the only athlete capable of 7-7 which he did on his first attempt. Harris also had three great attempts at the NCAA record of 7-9 but missed on all three attempts.
The triple jump continues to be a growing event at the NCAA. However San Diego State senior Shaneika Thomas is the only growing in the event. The career All-American and Champion proved why she was the best dominating the triple jump competition at the NCAA meet with a mark of 45-10. She was almost nearly 2 feet ahead of 2nd place.
A new star was born in the women's pentathlon and her name was Kendal Williams of Georgia. Although Williams was the top high school heptathlete and pentathlete last indoor and outdoor season as a high school athlete. She had never competed in the NCAA against top ranked Erica Bougard of Mississippi State who defeated Williams at the SEC Championships. Williams brought her "A" game finishing first in three of the five events earning her enough points to claim the overall title.
The team standings were greatly affected by the shocking performances both good and bad. In the 4x400 relay Florida and Texas A&M were both disqualified after an altercation in the race. This allowed Oregon to secure 6th place in the race and score 3 valuable team points. LSU stayed out of the frey with early strong first leg to win the men's 4x400 relay with a time of 3:04.01. Oregon would go on to win the national title in dominating fashion.
The women's 4x400 relay ended with more excitement. There was three teams competing for the national title, Florida, Oregon and Texas. Which ever team won the event would win the national title. Florida seemed out of it from the second leg on after Destinee Gause went out a little too fast. Texas overtook the lead and seemed to be headed towards a national title. However in the final leg champion Phyllis Francis reeled in Ashley Spencer in the final 10 meters to claim the title and a new indoor collegiate record with a time of 3:27.40. The victory secured a 5th straight title for the Oregon Lady Ducks and strong positive momentum heading into the outdoor season.
