Sultanova Wins Big 12 Pole Vault Championship; Harmon and Cummings Take Third and Fourth

May 17, 2008

Final Stats

BOULDER, COLO.Senior Kate Sultanova claimed her second Big 12 title in the pole vault as senior Libby Harmon took third and freshman Julia Cummings placed fourth for the University of Kansas track and field teams at day two of the Big 12 Championships. To start the day, junior Stephanie Horton broke the school record in the women’s shot put and by the end of competition on Saturday, the KU men are in seventh-place after five events while the women are third after eight events.

“I tried to concentrate and not think about the elevation,” Sultanova said as the first two-time pole vault conference champion in KU women’s history. “It’s a good feeling (to win the Big 12 Championship).”

Sultanova won the 2008 title as the only competitor to pass the bar at 4.10 meters (13 feet, 5 ¼ inches) and with Harmon and Cummings each finishing at 4.00 meters (13-01 ¼ ft.), the Jayhawks accumulated 21 points in the event. The height marked a career-best for Harmon and Cummings, places them fourth on the school’s all-time performance list and vaulted Kansas from seventh to third in the women’s standings.

Sultanova broke the Potts Field stadium record with her winning height. Kansas now has a total of four Big 12 champions in the women’s pole vault since the inception of the conference – the most of any school.

Horton topped Denise Buchanan’s 21-year-old record with a fifth-place toss of 16.05 meters (52-08 ft.). With her first toss of the finals, the Tigard, Ore., native became the first Jayhawk to surpass 16 meters, besting Buchanan’s effort at the 1987 NCAA Championships of 15.94 meters (52-03 ¾ ft.). Horton also holds the indoor record in the shot put after setting the mark at the Big 12 Championships in March.

In the women’s high jump, sophomore Kelsey Erb qualified for the Midwest Regional Championships with a career-best jump of 1.75 meters (5-08 ¾ ft.). Erb surpassed the height on her third attempt to finish third.

Senior Crystal Manning was fifth in the women’s long jump with an effort of 6.19 meters (20-03.75 ft.).

Senior Maresia Pencil advanced in the 800-meter run with a personal-best and regional mark of 2:09.59. With that time, Pencil moves into fourth-place all-time at KU in the event.

Also on the women’s side, junior Nickesha Anderson won her heat and had the fourth-fastest time (11.35) in qualifying for the finals of the 100-meter dash. Anderson also qualified in the 200 meters with a time of 23.13 – the second fastest time in school history. Senior Ashley Brown (59.43) and junior Sha’Ray Butler (1:01.03) each qualified for the 400-meter hurdles finals.

For the men, senior Julius Jiles qualified for the finals of the 110-meter hurdles, winning his heat in a time of 13.78. Senior Matt Baysinger will compete in Sunday’s final of the 800 meters after qualifying with a time of 1:50.62.

Day three begins with the men’s javelin at 11 a.m. (CST). Track events start at 4 p.m. with the 400-meter relays. The 2008 Big 12 Outdoor Champions will be crowned with an awards presentation at 7:45 p.m. Log on to www.kuathletics.com for all KU results and information.

KU Results:

Men:

110-Meter Hurdles Prelims: p-Jiles (13.78)

200 Meters: 14-Toussaint (21.80)

400 Meters: 13-Toussaint (47.83), 21-Rollins (48.77), 23-Frigon (49.58)

400-Meter Hurdles: 14-Jiles (54.05)

800 Meters Prelims: p-Baysinger (1:50.62)

Long Jump: 9-Fattig (7.32m), 11-Saunders (7.21m), 15-Turner (7.07m), 19-Stallbaumer (6.93m)

Women:

100 Meters: p-Anderson (11.35), 13-Howard (11.85)

100-Meter Hurdles: 9-Brown (13.75)

200 Meter Prelims: p-Anderson (23.13), 13-Howard (23.68

400 Meters: 13-Gaines (56.47)

400-Meter Hurdles Prelims: p-Brown (59.41), p-Butler (1:01.03)

800 Meters Prelims: p-Pencil (2:09.59), 16-Gruenbacher (2:16.52), 18-Stowers (2:17.12)

High Jump: 3-Erb (1.75m)

Long Jump: 5-Manning (6.19m)

Pole Vault: 1-Sultanova (4.10m), 3-Harmon (4.00m), 4-Cummings (4.00m)

Shot Put: 5-Horton (16.05m)

p=qualified for finals of event

Women – Team Rankings – 8 Events Scored
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1) Nebraska 79

2) Kansas State University 45.50
3) KANSAS 40.50

4) Texas A&M 35
5) Texas Tech 28.50

6) Missouri 27
7) Iowa State 21.50

8) Oklahoma 15
9) Texas 8

9) Oklahoma State 8
11) Baylor 2

11) Colorado 2

Men – Team Rankings – 5 Events Scored
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1) Missouri 45

2) Colorado 42
3) Nebraska 25

4) Texas Tech 20
5) Texas A&M 16

6) Texas 13
7) KANSAS 11

8) Kansas State 9
9) Iowa State 8

10) Oklahoma 6
11) Baylor –

11) Oklahoma State –