Owens Leads Alabama at SEC Outdoor; Tide Places 9th
5/18/2008 12:00:00 AM
May 18, 2008
Complete Results in PDF Format 
AUBURN, Ala.-The Alabama women's track and field team wrapped up the 2008 SEC Track and Field Championships with a ninth-place finish Sunday at the Hutsell-Rosen Track at Auburn, Ala. Sophomore Talaya Owens led the Tide on the final day with a personal best in the 400-meter hurdles.
"Overall, we had a pretty good weekend," head coach Sandy Fowler said. "The fact that the young ones stepped up and know they belong in the SEC is the beginning of this group creating their own future."
Owens was the highlight of the meet for the Crimson Tide as the sophomore placed third overall with a personal-best time of 57.76. In just her first season in the event, Owens has now run the eighth-fastest time in school history.
Alabama opened the meet with a regional qualifying time in the 4x100-meter relay. The Crimson Tide quartet of Heather Matherson, Trish Bartholomew, Nicole Okolo and Owens placed eighth overall with a finish of 45.56.
Junior Betty Rotich capped off her first career SEC meet with a solid finish in the 5,000 meters. Rotich placed sixth overall with a regional qualifying time of 16:29.88.
The Crimson Tide concluded its stay on Auburn's track with an eighth-place finish in the 4x400-meter relay. Alabama won its heat with a time of 3:42.96.
Alabama finished with 34 points to place ninth in the team standings. LSU won the championship with 157.5 points to outdistance runner-up Florida at 129.
Alabama will train through the week to prepare for the NCAA Regional Championships. The meet is scheduled for May 30-31 in Fayetteville, Ark.
