Scott Four-Peats in the Pole Vault, Krechyk Wins Weight Throw in First Day of Big 12 Indoor Championships
Feb. 26, 2010
AMES, Iowa –
It was a historic day for the Kansas track and field team, as two athletes were crowned Big 12 Champions, one school record was shattered and three new NCAA provisional standards were met in day one of the 2010 Big 12 Indoor Championships.
Senior Jordan Scott successfully swept the Big 12 title in the pole vault, winning his fourth-consecutive crown. Scott is the only athlete in Kansas history to win four indoor conference championships in the same event. The Watkinsville, Ga., native cleared 5.42 meters (17-09.25 ft.) on his third and final attempt, beating Maston Wallace of Texas, who was the 2008 NCAA outdoor champion in the pole vault.
“I have never had to fight so hard to win a meet,” said Scott. “I let my nerves get to me on a few jumps, but I held on enough to capture the win. I am glad I could pull through to help my team as best I could and it sure feels great to win all four possible Big 12 titles in my Kansas career.”
Only one other person in Big 12 history has won the event as a freshman, sophomore, junior and senior and that was Jacob Davis of Texas, who was a four-time champion from 1997-2000.
Alena Krechyk became the first woman in Kansas school history to win a conference title in the weight throw, as the sophomore from Grodno, Belarus threw 19.54 meters (64-01.25 ft.) to capture the Big 12 crown. She also set a new school record in the event, a feat she has now accomplished twice this season. Krechyk was not rattled by the stringent competition of the Big 12 Conference, as she won the event by more than two feet.
“I am overwhelmed with excitement about Alena’s performance today,” said KU throws coach Andy Kokhanovsky. “In terms of size, she was the smallest in the field, so it is quite impressive to do what she did. I am so pleased with how well she threw under pressure.”
Krechyk earned her first school record in the event just two weeks ago at the Air Force Invitational in Colorado Springs, Colo., where she threw 19.37 meters (63-06.75 ft.). In addition to setting school records in back-to-back meets, Krechyk has twice met the NCAA provisional standard in the weight throw with those marks.
The women’s distance medley relay squad also had a stellar performance, as Rebeka Stowe, Taissa Makhmayeva, Cori Christensen and Lauren Bonds combined for a time of 11:23.08, earning an NCAA provisional qualifying standard. The quartet finished in second place, earning eight points for the KU women, who are currently in third place with 32.50 total points behind Texas Tech (48.50) and Nebraska (47.50).
Freshmen Andrea Geubelle turned in a career-best performance in the long jump, leaping 6.19 meters (20-03.75 ft.) to finish fifth overall. The University Place, Wash., earned four points for her effort, while also meeting the NCAA provisional standard in the event. She has now qualified in both the long jump and triple jump this season.
Sophomore Julia Cummings recorded her season-best pole vault of 3.88 meters (12-08.75 ft.), which was good for sixth place and two and a half points. Kara Windisch crushed her previous PR in the 5,000 meters, clocking in at 16:34.06 to take sixth overall in the event. The Overland Park, Kan., native earned three points toward the team total and met the NCAA provisional standard in the event, which was the first of her career.
The Jayhawks had two point scorers in the pentathlon, as Rebecca Neville took fifth overall with a score of 3,716 and Sara Noonan finished eighth after earning 3,532 total points. Neville had three top-five performances, including a fifth-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles (8.86), fourth in the long jump (18-04.25 ft.) and fifth in the 800 meters (2:24.94). Noonan took third in the shot put and long jump, recording career-best marks in both events. She threw 11.45 meters (37-06.75 ft.) in the shot put, while leaping 5.72 meters (18-09.25 ft.) in the long jump.
Freshman Taylor Washington competed in the 600 yard run for the first time this season, posting an impressive time of 1:21.80 to finish first in her heat, second overall, which earned her a spot in the finals.
Bonds and Stowe also had strong preliminary round races, as both athletes qualified for the finals of the one-mile run. Bonds had the top time in the prelims at 4:47.51, while Stowe finished seventh in 4:51.44.
Sophomore Cori Christensen punched her ticket to the finals of the 800 meters, as she turned in a time of 2:11.67 for a sixth-place finish in the prelims.
In addition to Scott in the pole vault, freshman Corey Shank contributed three and a half points, as he tied for fifth-place with a mark of 5.02 meters (16-05.50 ft.).
Senior Reggie Carter advanced to the finals of the 400-meter dash after setting a personal record of 47.64.
Despite missing the break for the event finals, several Jayhawks did set personal records in the first day of competition at the Big 12 Indoor Championships. Chandler Frigon clocked in at 1:12.39 in the 600 yards run for a new PR, while Ryan Peterson ran a career-best time of 1:56.38 in the 800 meters. Donny Wasinger bested his previous PR in the 1000 meters with a time of 2:30.03.
On the women’s side, Kathryn Lupton crossed the finish line of the 60-meter hurdles in 8.96 and Denesha Morris raced to a new PR in the 60 and 200-meter dashes, clocking in at 7.67 and 24.76, respectively.
Competition continues tomorrow at the Lied Recreation Center on the campus of Iowa State University. Live results of all events can be viewed at http://www.big12sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10410&KEY=&ATCLID=204872021.
