Six Jayhawks Earn All-American Honors on Final Day of NCAA Outdoor Championships
June 11, 2011
Women’s 4×400 Meter Relay (Kendra Bradley, Denesha Morris, Diamond Dixon & Shayla Wilson)
DES MOINES, Iowa –
Final Results in PDF Format 
On the final day of the 2011 NCAA Track and Field National Championships, six more Jayhawks became All-Americans here Saturday afternoon at Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University. In all, the Jayhawks had three men and seven women become first or second team All-Americans with the men earning 14 points to finish 18th overall and the women collecting 13 points to take 23rd.
In the final event of the week, senior Kendra Bradley, junior Shayla Wilson, sophomore Denesha Morris and freshman Diamond Dixon took to the track for the 4X400-meter relay final. In the semifinals on Thursday night, the quartet ran a school record time of 3:34 to qualify for the finals race. On Saturday afternoon in the finals, Bradley and Morris got the Jayhawks out to a strong start in the first two legs of the race. Dixon got the baton and made up ground for the Jayhawks, running her split in nearly 51.00 seconds. On the final leg Wilson kept the Jayhawks in the hunt starting strong in the first 200 meters but ended the race in eighth place. The women crossed the finish line in a scorching 3:33.00 to again shatter the school record they had set just two nights prior, and giving all of them First Team All-American honors. The four Jayhawks, who also earned All-American honors in the event during the indoor season, collected one more point for the women, bringing the team total to 13.
Junior Rebeka Stowe hit the track earlier in the afternoon for the 3,000-Meter Steeplechase finals to try and add to the team scoring effort. Stowe stayed in the middle of the pack for the first few laps before making her move and climbing her way up the field. The Olathe, Kan., native maintained her position for the remainder of the race finishing in seventh in a time of 10:07.73, collecting an additional two points for the women’s team. Stowe became a First Team All-American for the first time in her career and is the first-ever female Jayhawk to earn First Team All-American honors in the event.
In the men’s 1,500-meters finals, Donny Wasinger entered the field after a controversial semifinal race two days earlier. In that race the junior found himself in the middle of a three-person fall that, at the time, looked like it would end his season. After a protest by Kansas officials, Wasinger was allowed back into the field for the finals.
On Saturday afternoon, Wasinger hit the track looking to prove that he belonged on the track with the 11 other men who had qualified. For the majority of the race he did just that. Wasinger led the field for two laps and pushed the other runners to a near sprint pace. The Winona, Minn., native fell in position near the end but finished strong, crossing the finish line in 3:55.63 and earning Second Team All-American honors for the first time in his career.
After a successful week at the NCAA’s, the Jayhawks will send several men and women to Eugene, Ore., in two weeks for the USA Senior and Junior Championships June 22-25. Notables competing for the Jayhawks will be Mason Finley, Diamond Dixons and Rebeka Stowe. For live results and updates from the meet log on to kuathletics.com or follow on twitter at KUGameday.
Kansas Agate
NCAA Championships
June 11, 2011
Drake Stadium
WOMEN’S RESULTS
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
7. Rebeka Stowe, 10:07.73
4X400-Meter Relay
8. Kansas (Bradley, Morris, Dixon, Wilson), 3:33.00 ***School Record***
Final Points Standings
23. Kansas – 13 points
MEN’S RESULTS
1,500 Meters (Finals)
14. Donny Wasinger, 3:55.63
Final Points Standings
18. Kansas – 14 points
