KU Women Claim 10 USTFCCCA All-America Honors

March 12, 2012

2012 USTFCCCA Indoor All-Americans

The 4×400-meter relay team of Taylor Washington, Denesha Morris, Diamond Dixon and Paris Daniels was named to the All-American first team. USTFCCCA First Team P. Daniels 4x400m Relay D. Dixon 400 meters D. Dixon 4x400m Relay A. Geubelle Long Jump A. Geubelle Triple Jump D. Morris 4x400m Relay F. Simpson Long Jump T. Washington 4x400m Relay USTFCCCA Second Team P. Daniels 200 meters A. Krechyk Weight Throw

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Following their runner-up finish at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships last weekend, eight KU women collected 10 All-America distinctions it was announced Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The 10 All-Americans is the most earned during an indoor season in program history.

Juniors Andrea Geubelle, Denesha Morris and Taylor Washington as well as sophomore Diamond Dixon earned first team All-America honors for the second-consecutive season.

Geubelle, who hails from University Place, Wash., claimed the national title in the triple jump Saturday evening. Her winning-mark of 13.67 meters (44-10.25 ft.) is a school record and is the fourth-best among all athletes – collegiate of professional – in the U.S. this year. She is also listed as a first team All-American in the long jump after her eighth-place finish in the NCAA event. The awards mark the second and third first team indoor All-America honors of her career and the sixth overall. Geubelle was also named to the All-America honorable mention list in the outdoor long jump in 2011.

Dixon was named to the All-America first team after winning her first national title in the 400 meters last weekend. Her time of 51.78 is an indoor school record and the seventh-fastest in the world this year. The Houston native has now individually claimed three first team All-American honors in only one-plus seasons in Lawrence.

Joining Geubelle on the long jump first team All-America list is junior Francine Simpson, who is receiving the distinction for the first time in her career. Simpson placed sixth at the national meet with a personal best mark of 6.37 meters (20-11.75 ft.). Simpson and Geubelle mark the fourth and fifth KU female long jumpers to claim All-American honors in the school’s history.

The 4×400-meter relay team of Dixon, Washington, Morris and junior Paris Daniels also earned spots on the first team. Daniels sees her name as a first team All-American for the first time in her career. The group, who raced to the fastest-time in the NCAA this season at 3:31.36, placed third at the indoor meet last Saturday. Dixon, Washington and Morris are seeing their name on the list for the second time as a group after being selected following the 2011 indoor season.

Alena Krechyk made her way onto the second team All-America list was. The senior placed 13^th in the weight throw at the NCAA Championships and is the school record-holder in the event with a mark of 21.01 meters (68-10.75 ft.). The Grodno, Belarus, native is listed on an All-America list for the first time in her career.

Daniels was placed on the second team All-America list, as she finished 11^th in the 200 meters at the national indoor meet. Daniels ranks second in the event on the all-time school performance lists and was an eight-time NJCAA All-American while running at Coffeyville Junior College from 2009-10.

The KU women’s team has now placed an impressive 20 indoor All-Americans over the past three seasons, marking the most of any three-year stretch in the program’s history.