Women's Track Nabs Four All-Americans
6/14/2010 12:00:00 AM
June 14, 2010
NEW ORLEANS - University of Alabama senior Chealsea Taylor, junior Kim Laing and sophomore Krystle Schade have been named to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-America team as announced on Monday for their efforts at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., last week.
A total of 523 awards will be presented to 428 individuals as a result of a national top-eight finish in this past weekend's national championships. In addition, the top eight finishing athletes among U.S. citizens from the NCAA Championships gain All-America status.
In the open high jump, Taylor earned her first All-America accolade by finishing fifth with a clearance of 5-9 1/4, while indoor high jump All-American Schade notched her second All-America honor of her career, also clearing the bar set at 5-9 1/4. The duo became the first Alabama high jump All-Americans since 2007 (Miruna Mataoanu) and the sixth and seventh outdoor high jump All-Americans in school history.
Schade became just the third Alabama female athlete to garner All-America honors in both the indoor and outdoor seasons in the same year - Yutta Shelton in 1985 and Disa Gisladottir in 1983.
Taylor earned her second career All-American accolade and second of the weekend when she finished third in the heptathlon with 5,617 points. This was only Taylor's second season competing in the heptathlon and just her sixth heptathlon competition ever. Taylor won the high jump and 200 meter events in the heptathlon.
With the addition of the heptathlon All-America accolade, Taylor became the first Alabama female student-athlete to garner two All-American honors in one NCAA Outdoor Championship meet since Beth Mallory accomplished the feat in 2005 in the discus and hammer throws. The Denver native is also just the second Crimson Tide heptathlon performer to earn All-America honors in school history - Yutta Shelton in 1985.
Laing earned her first All-American honor by finishing seventh in the 100 meter hurdles, clocking a time of 13.20 (+1.8). She is the first Alabama female student-athlete to garner All-American accolades in the event since Brandit Copper in 2000.
The St. Catherine, Jamaica, native is just the third Alabama athlete to be an All-American in the 100 meter hurdles.
This is the first year since 2001 that the Alabama women have had four All-America honors at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
USTFCCCA National Award winners will be announced starting Wednesday, June 16. The winners of the John McDonnell Program of the Year and Terry Crawford Program of the Year will be announced Tuesday.
Players Mentioned
