March 12, 2021

👟 Jayhawks Earn All-American Honors at NCAA Indoor Championships on Friday

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Four Jayhawks earned NCAA All-American honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas on Friday, including junior Samantha Van Hoecke’s First Team honors in the women’s pole vault.

Competing in her first NCAA Championships, Van Hoecke placed seventh overall by clearing a personal best 4.36m (14-3.5 ft.), tying the sixth best performance in KU indoor history. Van Hoecke also became the first KU All-American in the women’s pole vault indoors since Laura Taylor in 2018.

Despite opening her day with a miss at the opening height of 4.16m (13-7.75 ft.), Van Hoecke bounced back and cleared on her second attempt. She would miss on her first two attempts at 4.26m (13-11.75 ft.), before making it over the bar on her final attempt.

At 4.36m (14-3.5 ft.), Van Hoecke cleared a personal best on her second attempt, securing her spot on the podium. She would go on to miss on three-straight attempts at 4.41m (14-5.5 ft.), placing her seventh overall.

Earlier in the day in the women’s high jump, junior Rylee Anderson tied for 10^th overall, clearing 1.76m (5-9.25 ft.). Anderson was perfect through her first two bars at 1.71m (5-7.5 ft.) and 1.76m (5-9.25 ft.), but was unable to make it over 1.81m (5-11.25 ft.), placing her 10^th and earning Second Team All-American honors.

In the women’s shot put, senior Alexandra Emilianov placed 15^th overall, throwing 15.85m (52-0 ft.), which came on her third attempt. Emilianov became the first Jayhawk to earn indoor All-American status in the women’s shot put since 2012 (Anatasiya Muchkayev).

On the track, senior Honour Finley placed 14^th overall in the women’s 400 meters, clocking a 53.34 in the event prelims. The finish earned Finley Second Team All-America honors.

The Jayhawks will be back in action at the NCAA Indoor Championships from Fayetteville, Arkansas on Saturday, when junior Zach Bradford competes in the men’s pole vault finals beginning at 12:30 p.m., CT.