Eppinger Finishes Second in Heptathlon at SEC Championships
5/13/2011 12:00:00 AM
May 13, 2011
ATHENS, Ga. - Thanks to a second-place finish from Kaylon Eppinger, the University of Alabama women's track and field team is in a tie for fifth place after the first two days of the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
"I'm very happy with Kaylon's effort today and she competed extremely well," UA head coach Sandy Fowler said. "I give her all the credit in the world because she really laid it on the line in the 800m, which is not her favorite event, to hold on to second place."
Eppinger began the day in third but made up position in three events on Friday thanks in large part to a personal-best jump of 18-11.75 in the long jump.
The Crimson Tide's other points on Friday came in the hammer throw where Amethyst Holmes shattered a personal best by nearly two feet and season best five feet with a throw of 176-11 to finish seventh.
"It was a phenomenal performance on Amethyst's part," Fowler said. "I'm very proud of her coming through with a major personal best."
In action on the oval, Kelsey Johnson just missed scoring in the 10,000m final with a ninth-place time of 37:23.86. In preliminary action, Talaya Owens finished eighth in the 400m hurdles with a time of 59.70 to advance to Sunday's final.
The 800m saw Leigh Gilmore record a season-best time of 2:11.84 while Elsbeth Denton notched a personal best of 2:15.02 to come in 15th and 20th respectively.
The Tide begins the third day of the championships on Saturday with events at Georgia's Spec Towns Track slated to begin at 11 a.m. CDT.
SEC Outdoor Championships
Alabama Results
10,000m (Finals)
9. Kelsey Johnson, 37:23.86
Hammer Throw (Final)
7. Amethyst Holmes, 176-11
13. Lee Stowers, 162-8
14. Angelica Howard, 160-8
19. Jasmine Williams, 153-7
20. Aoife Hickey, 153-7
Heptathlon (Final)
2. Kaylon Eppinger, 5,479
11. Rachel Robbs, 4,523
800m (Prelim)
15. Leigh Gilmore, 2:11.84
20. Elsbeth Denton, 2:15.02
21. Katlyn Will, 2:15.98
27. Meghan Hawkins, 2:20.69
28. Aubrielle Wright, 2:24.76
200m (Prelims)
25. Camilla Armstead, 24.47
30. Toni Graham, 24.73
31. Devon Romero, 24.93
400m Hurdles (Prelims)
8. Talaya Owens, 59.70
Players Mentioned
