Hopkins Concludes Rookie Campaign at NCAA Championships
6/11/2010 12:00:00 AM
June 11, 2010
EUGENE, Ore. - Freshman Wilamena Hopkins was the lone competitor for the Alabama women's track and field team on Friday at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships where the attendance record was broken for the second consecutive day. The largest crowd in history for the third day of the meet was in attendance with 11,972 fans in a sold-out Hayward Field.
Appearing as the first Alabama female student-athlete in the shot put at the national outdoor championships since 2006 (Aymara Albury), Hopkins finished 22nd with a heave of 50-6.
Though the Archer, Fla., native's rookie season has concluded, it was nothing short of a spectacular year. Hopkins earned All-SEC Freshman team honors for being the top finisher in the shot put during both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
In addition, Hopkins now holds the fourth-best indoor shot put mark in school history with her mark of 52-0 as well as the fourth-best outdoor shot put mark in school history with her mark of 52-3 1/4. She also claimed the sixth-best discus mark in school history with a heave of 159-10 this season.
"I'm really proud of Wilamena," head women's track and field coach Sandy Fowler said. "For a shot putter to improve six and half feet in one season says a lot about her as an athlete. I deeply feel that Wilamena will do some wonderful things in the future. Her quote to me was, `Coach you don't have to say it, I know I belong here'. That in itself speaks volumes. She was frustrated with the way she placed and threw today, but that's hunger wanting to do better and I'll take that anytime. She's had a great season."
In the team standings with only one day of competition remaining, Alabama is in 13th place with 11 points. It is the highest point total since 2007 for the Alabama women, when the team finished 21st with 10 points. Oregon leads the team race with 30 points and is followed by Iowa State in second with 28 points.
Alabama will conclude its competition in Track Town USA when it returns to Hayward Field on Saturday as junior Meghan Austin competes in the javelin at 9:30 a.m. (PT) and junior Kim Laing competes in the 100 meter hurdle final at 11:09 a.m. (PT). Both events will be aired live on CBS as the championships will be broadcast from noon-2:00 p.m. (CT).
Follow the new official Alabama track and field Twitter page for live updates of this weekend's action, AlabamaTrack.
Friday's Alabama Women's Results
Shot Put: 22. Wilamena Hopkins - 50-6
Alabama Women All-Americans (All Weekend)
High Jump: 5. Chealsea Taylor - 5-9 1/4 (4 points)
High Jump: t7. Krystle Schade - 5-9 1/4 (1 point)
Heptathlon: 3. Chealsea Taylor - 5,617 points (6 points)
! - Personal-best; * - Season-best; + - Advanced to next round; DQ - Disqualified; DNF - Did not finish; NM - No mark; FS - False start; SR - School record
Players Mentioned
