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NCAA Outdoor Championships
Hayward Field // Eugene, Ore.
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| Lindsay Vollmer sits in second in the heptathlon with three events remaining. |
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EUGENE, Ore. – For the second time in as many days a Jayhawk attained First Team All-America honors as senior Jessica Maroszek posted a sixth-place finish in the discus at the NCAA Championships Thursday afternoon inside Hayward Field. Junior Lindsay Vollmer began her week with the first four events of the heptathlon and sits in second heading into the final day of competition.
Maroszek, who hails from Seymour, Wisconsin, came into the day as the nation’s third-ranked collegian in the discus after her school and meet record performance at the Big 12 Championships last month. The senior began her final outing in the Kansas singlet with two solid throws, the second a toss of 54.78 meters (179’9″). Maroszek’s mark elevated her to second place on the overall leaderboard after two rounds of throws, however that’s as high as she was able to climb.
Fouls on each of her next four attempts made it impossible for Maroszek to keep her position, bumping her down to sixth over the final rounds of throws, where she eventually ended her day. The finish marked the third time Maroszek posted a top-eight finish in the event at the NCAA Championships and will garner her First Team All-America honors, also for the third time. Maroszek is now the second Jayhawk thrower to attain All-America status on three separate occasions.
Vollmer began defense of her NCAA heptathlon title as the event kicked off Thursday. Her first event of the afternoon was a strong one as she posted a time just off her career best in the 100-meter hurdles. The junior crossed the finish in 13.61, only .04 seconds off her personal best. The mark was the fifth-fastest of the heptathlon competitors and earned Vollmer 1,034 points after the first event.
In the second event, the high jump, Vollmer again come close to a career best after she tallied a top clearance of 1.72 meters (5’7¾”), just an inch shy of her all-time best jump. Sitting in fourth after the high jump, Vollmer made up some ground on the leaders in the shot put. On her first attempt of the competition she posted a throw of 12.24 meters (40’2″), good for 677 points. Her shot performance elevated her to second in the overall standings heading into the final event of the day, the 200 meters.
In the 200 meters, Vollmer raced to the seventh-fastest time among the field, completing her half-lap in 24.82 to pick up her final 903 points of the first day of competition.
Vollmer will enter the final three events Friday in second-place overall with 3,493 points, 193 points behind the leader, Georgia freshman Kendell Williams.
The men’s 4×400-meter relay closed out the day of the Jayhawks in the event semifinals. Sophomore Drew Matthews, senior DeMario Johnson, sophomore Jaime Wilson and junior Michael Stigler passed the baton around in 3:12.22 to take eighth in their semifinal heat. The time eventually placed the quartet 23rd out of the 24 semifinal teams, ending the Jayhawks run toward the final.
Two Jayhawks will close out the week for Kansas at the NCAA Championships Friday. Vollmer will get the second and final day of the heptathlon started at 2:30 p.m. (CT) with the long jump. Stigler will take the track at 6:33 p.m. (CT) looking to claim a national championship in the 400-meter hurdles. Follow both Jayhawks’ performances by logging on to KUAthletics.com and following on Twitter and Instagram at @KUTrack.
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