Women's Track Garners Nine All-Mideast Region Accolades
5/30/2009 12:00:00 AM
May 30, 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Alabama women's track and field team wrapped up their competition at the 2009 Mideast Regional Track and Field Championships at Cardinal Park Stadium on Saturday. The Crimson Tide earned five All-Mideast region individual honors as well as the 4x100m relay earning the accolade.
"I'm real excited with our finish," head coach Sandy Fowler said. "To finish in the top 10 at a regional meet with all these SEC and Big 10 schools says a lot about the future of this team. Everybody on this team will be back next year so the future looks great."
In the high jump, true freshman Krystle Schade qualified for the NCAA Championships in exciting fashion. After the competition, there was a four way tie for third place meaning there would need to be a jump off to determine fifth place, the final national qualifier. The SEC Champion (Raevan Harris-Auburn), SEC runner-up (Brittani Carter-LSU), Schade and Ashley Rhoades of Indiana were all tied. Schade was the second of the four to solidify a spot in the national meet finishing "fourth" after the jump off. Chealsea Taylor finished eighth after clearing 5-8 1/2. Both Alabama athletes earned All-Mideast Region honors.
Toeing the line against the third fastest 4x100 meter relay team (LSU) in the country, the squad of Audra Frimpong, Chealsea Taylor, Toni Graham and Heather Matherson posted their season best time of 45.21 to finish fourth. The Crimson Tide needed a third place finish to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
The Crimson Tide comprised a fourth of the 100m hurdle final with two athletes in the field. Kim Laing advanced to her first NCAA Championships after finishing third with a time of 13.28, tying her personal best. Audra Frimpong finished seventh with a time of 13.60, just off her personal best of 13.56 as both athletes earned All-Mideast Region accolades. Tiffany Ofili of Michigan, the number one hurdler in the nation, won with a time of 12.96.
Talaya Owens nearly matched her season best in the 400m hurdles running a time of 58.29. The junior will return to the NCAA Championships for the second straight season as she finished fourth in the regional, also earning All-Mideast honors.
Angelica Howard, after a disappointing Friday in the hammer throw, still struggled in the shot put as she finished 27th with a throw of 47-6 1/4.
Meghan Austin finished 18th in the javelin with a throw of 134-3.
"Those that have automatically qualified is a credit to them," Fowler said. "I'm real excited about Krystle Schade in the high jump as a freshman. It says a lot into the direction she's headed. In regards to the team, they're already talking about next year and having this year's experience is absolutely huge so they won't have any surprises to come next season."
In the final team standings, LSU claimed the Mideast Region Championship with 85.50 points. Alabama finished 10th tallying 23.50 points. There were 39 teams that scored.
The Alabama women's track and field team will be represented by its national qualifiers at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. set for June 10-13.
Players Mentioned
