Track and Field NCAA Outdoor Championships Preview

June 9, 2015

EUGENE, Oregon -

2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships

DATE(s): June 10-13, 2015

LOCATION: Eugene, Ore.

VENUE: Hayward Field, University of Oregon

TWITTER: @AlabamaTrack

LIVE RESULTS: http://www.ncaa.com/sites/default/files/external/track-field/results/d1/outdoor15/final/index.htm

WATCH LIVE:

Wed., June 10 11 a.m. PT (1 p.m. CT) ESPN3

Wed., June 10 4 p.m. PT (6 p.m. CT) ESPNU/WatchESPN

Thurs., June 11 10 a.m. PT (12 p.m. CT) ESPN3

Thurs., June 11 4 p.m. PT (6 p.m. CT) ESPNU/WatchESPN

Fri., June 12 4 p.m. PT (6 p.m. CT) ESPN3

Fri., June 12 4:30 p.m. PT (6:30 p.m. CT) ESPN/WatchESPN

Sat., June 13 1:30 p.m. PT (3:30 p.m. CT) ESPN3

Sat., June 13 2 p.m. PT (4 p.m. CT) ESPN2/WatchESPN

The University of Alabama track and field team travels 18 athletes (10 men, 8 women), including three relay teams, to Eugene, Ore., to compete in the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

The NCAA Outdoor Championships will take place on Wednesday-Saturday, June 10-13. The meet consists of the top 12 finishers in every event from the recent NCAA Preliminary Championships held May 28-30. Those meets comprised the qualifying heats and quarterfinals of most events, and the quarterfinal through semifinal rounds of some events, with the final rounds taking place at this week's NCAA Outdoor Championships.

The Tide has entries in nine individual events (5 men's 4 women's) and three relays (2 men's, 1 women's). Sprinters Ahmed Ali (men's 200 meters), Steven Gayle (men's 400 meters) and Alex Gholston (women's 400 meters) are joined by field event specialists Jeremiah Green (men's triple jump), Justin Fondren (men's high jump), 2014 NCAA champion Hayden Reed (men's discus), Quanesha Burks (women's long jump), Filippa Fotopoulou (women's long jump), Nia Barnes (women's hammer) and Danielle McConnell (women's hammer). Distance ace Katelyn Greenleaf will compete in the women's steeplechase while sprinters Alex Amankwah, Tony Brown, Marlon Humphrey, Jacopo Lahbi and Dash Pinder will run on the men's 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams. The women's 4x100-meter relay team also will compete, consisting of Quanesha Burks, Alex Gholston, Dominique Kimpel and Sarah Thomas.

Sophomore Quanesha Burks, the 2015 SEC champion in the women's long jump, enters the NCAA meet as the collegiate leader in the event. As a freshman at last year's NCAA meet, Burks finished 18th in the long jump. She returned this year to claim her first conference championship and a school record with the nation's 2015 leading mark of 22 feet, five and one-quarter inches. Reed has an impressive championship resume' from his 2014 discus titles at both the NCAA outdoor meet and the USATF Championships.

HEAD COACH Dan Waters ON THE NCAA OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

"The NCAA meet is what we prepare for all year long. We've had our ups and downs this year, with some injuries affecting some of our top people during the championship portion of our schedule. But this week is a chance to put all of that behind us, and we expect the athletes we have competing this week to do just that - to go out and give all they have, to leave it all on the track. If that happens, I think we will have had a successful meet. I am excited for our athletes who have made it this far, and I am confident they will represent us very well."

QUOTES FROM CRIMSON TIDE ATHLETES

Sarah Thomas (Women's 4x100-Meter Relay)

"We practice together, we compete together, so it's nice to be able to travel together to the national championships in a first class way ... it was a great experience. When I first started five years ago, you would not have seen the Alabama 4x100 here at the national championships, so to be back for the second year in a row with this relay, says a lot about the team here, the athletes and the coaches. It means so much to me to be able to finish my collegiate career here on this huge national stage at 'Tracktown USA'. I'm really ecstatic.

"My expectations are to win. The first goal is to make it to regionals, the second goal is to make it here (to the NCAA Championships). Now that we're here, the goal is to win. I will not lower my expectations. As a team, we're hoping to execute everything we do and leave a huge impression when it comes to Alabama Track and Field and leave a large footprint for next season."

Quanesha Burks (Women's Long Jump)

"It was nice to be able to travel with whole team on the charter flight, I loved the whole atmosphere. I love it here, I love every single thing about it -- it's Tracktown USA and I couldn't be more thankful to be here.

"I'm looking forward to just doing what I've been doing this whole time - bring practice to the meet, staying focused and consistent. My mindset has really changed since last year and my confidence has really gone up. I was just excited to here last year and this year, I feel like I've really matured and I have different goals coming into this meet. Last year, jumping 20 feet and making it here was good enough, this year I'm taking it.

"This year I have so much confidence, and I know what I have to do to make it to that next level and win nationals. As a team, we're looking forward to going out there and executing what we've all been working toward since the fall. We want to go out there and treat it like it's just another meet, even though it is the national championships, and bring practice to the meet."

Steven Gayle (Men's 400 Meters & Relays)

"Coming from a junior college, this is the experience I was looking for, to get here to this level of competition. I'm ready. Right now I'm looking for a great PR, something shocking, trying to be the best I can. I'm ready, I know I'm ready. As a team, we all came here prepared, that's one thing I can say. Everyone is mentally prepared and focused to take on the challenges."

BALANCING ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE

The Alabama track and field team had two athletes -- thrower Nia Barnes and distance ace Katelyn Greenleaf -- earned Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District IV honors this season, which advances them to the national ballot for Academic All-America. The duo also advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Championships with Barnes competing in the hammer throw and Greenleaf competing in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Barnes earned Academic All-America honors last season as a junior, while Greenleaf, the school record holder in the 3,000 steeplechase, earned all-district honors for the first time this season as a junior.

TIDE ATHLETES COMPETING IN INDIVIDUAL EVENTS

TRACK EVENTS

MEN

200 Meters

Ahmed Ali

Semifinals: Wednesday, June 10 - 6:24 p.m. PT

Seed: 12th (20.54) SEC Rank: 6th Season Best: 20.46

Junior Ahmed Ali has made huge improvements since joining the Tide in the fall of 2014 from South Plains (Texas) College. Ali has competed in the 100 meters and 200 meters throughout the 2015 outdoor season and has raced as the third leg of the 4x100-meter relay in three meets this season. He ran a personal-best time of 20.46 in the 200 meters at the John Jacobs Invitational on April 18. At the SEC Championships, Ali finished eighth in the final of the 200 meters. At the NCAA East Preliminary, Ali finished fourth in heat one and qualified on time with a 20.54. Ali has run two of the 10 fastest 200-meter times in Alabama history this season, his 20.46 that ranks No. 6 on the all-time Crimson Tide list, and the 20.54 ranks tied for 9th on the list.

400 Meters

Stephen Gayle

Semifinals: Wednesday, June 10 - 5:30 p.m. PT

Seed: 8th (45.76) SEC Rank: 6th Season Best: 45.67

Junior Stephen Gayle has competed in the 400 meters five times in the 2015 season, recording a personal best of 45.67 to finish fourth at the SEC Championships. Gayle has also been an integral part of the Tide's 4x400-meter relay squadron this year, assisting the Tide in posting its fastest time in 2015 (3:05.66). Gayle finished third in heat three of the quarterfinals at the NCAA East Preliminary to finish seventh overall with a 45.76 to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Gayle's 45.67 clocking on May 16 ranks tied for 9th all-time in Alabama history.

WOMEN

400 Meters

Alex Gholston

Semifinals: Thursday, June 11 - 5:30 p.m. PT

Seed: 16th (52.31) SEC Rank: 7th Season Best: 52.31

Sophomore Alex Gholston has competed in the 400 meters six times this season and has been an integral part of the Tide's 4x400-meter relay squad. Throughout the season, Gholston has improved her times in each meet. She posted a then-personal and season best in the event of 52.43 set en route to a third-place finish at the SEC meet. She bettered her personal best at the NCAA East Preliminary with a 52.31 in the quarterfinals, finishing third in the third heat, finishing eighth overall and advancing to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. This year alone, Gholston has run three of the 10 fastest 400-meter times in Alabama history. Her PR (52.31) ranks 6th in Crimson Tide history. She also owns the No. 7 (52.43) and No. 10 (52.64) times on the all-time Alabama list.

Steeplechase

WOMEN

Katelyn Greenleaf

Semifinals: Thursday, June 11 - 4:38 p.m. PT

Seed: 18th (10:00.77) SEC Rank: 3rd Season Best: 10:00.77

Junior Katelyn Greenleaf has improved her personal best in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase in all three meets in which she has run the event this season. At the SEC meet, Greenleaf broke her own school record, running 10:14.43 to finish fourth overall. She shaved another 13-plus seconds off that mark at the NCAA East Preliminary, posting a new school record of 10:00.77 in the quarterfinals, qualifying on time after finishing 12th overall. This year, Greenleaf has shaved 21.25 seconds off the school record, which stood at 10:22.02 set by Greenleaf in 2014. She opened with a 10:14.91 at the Florida Relays on April 3, then ran 10:14.43 on May 15, followed by the 10:00.77 two weeks later. She owns six of the 10 fastest times ever run by an Alabama athlete in the event.

FIELD EVENTS

MEN

Triple Jump

Jeremiah Green

Finals: Friday, June 12 - 4:30 p.m. PT

Seed: 5th (50 feet, 9 1/4 inches) SEC Rank: 6th Season Best: 53 feet, 0 inches

Sophomore Jeremiah Green finished third at the 2015 SEC Indoor Championships and was ninth at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Green jumped an outdoor personal best in the event earlier this year when he posted a mark of 53-0 at the Florida Relays. He finished fourth at the NCAA East Preliminary with a best mark of 50-9 1/4 to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. This year, Green has achieved four of the 10 longest jumps in Alabama history as he owns the 6th through 9th places on the all-time Alabama outdoor list in the triple jump.

High Jump

Justin Fondren

Finals: Friday, June 12 - 4 p.m. PT

Seed: 22nd (6 feet, 11 3/4 inches) SEC Rank: t-4th Season Best: 7 feet, 1 inch

Junior Justin Fondren has had a decorated career with the Crimson Tide. In his freshman year, Fondren was the 2013 USATF Junior champion, when he was the runner-up at the SEC Outdoor Championships and finished 13th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. In 2014, Fondren finished tied for third at the SEC Indoor Championships and fifth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. This year, Fondren finished as the runner-up at the SEC Indoor Championships and cleared an indoor personal best of 7-3. Fondren's best outdoor clearance is 7-3. At the 2015 SEC outdoor meet, Fondren finished tied for second. At the 2015 NCAA East Preliminary, Fondren tied for first with a height of 6-11 3/4 to advance to the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Fondren has already secured a place as one of the top high jumpers in Crimson Tide history, owning four of the 10 best clearances in Alabama annals, as he has jumps that rank fifth, sixth (two jumps) and ninth on the all-time outdoor list.

WOMEN

Long Jump

Quanesha Burks

Finals: Thursday, June 11 - 5:15 p.m. PT

Seed: 1st (21 feet, 8 3/4 inches) World Rank: 6th SEC Rank: 1st Season Best: 22 feet, 5 1/4 inches

Sophomore Quanesha Burks, the NCAA East Preliminary and SEC champion in the women's long jump, posted a mark of 22-5 1/4 at the SEC meet, breaking her own school record set earlier this year. In her second outdoor season with the Tide, Burks has consistently jumped over six meters, proving to be one of the world's top long jumpers. She won the long jump at the NCAA East Preliminary with a leap of 21-8 3/4 to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the second year in a row. Burks has virtually re-written the all-time Alabama list in the event, currently owning nine of the 10 best marks in Crimson Tide history while having broken four times this season the former school record set by Flora Hyacinth in 1987. Burks is striving to become Alabama's first women's long jump NCAA champion and the Tide's first women's champ in a field event since Beth Mallory won the discus at the 2005 outdoor championships. Only Disa Gisladottir (women's high jump, 1982 and 1983) has won an NCAA outdoor jumps title for Alabama. Flora Hyacinth's 1989 indoor title in the triple jump and Gisladottir's 1983 indoor high jump crown are the only other NCAA jumps crowns won by Crimson Tide athletes. Current Tide assistant coach Miguel Pate, who coaches Burks, won the 2002 NCAA indoor men's long jump title for Alabama; Andrew Owusu won the NCAA indoor men's long jump title in 1996 and Jeff Woodard earned the NCAA title in the outdoor high jump in 1980.

Filippa Fotopoulou

Final: Thursday, June 11 - 5:15 p.m. PT

Seed: 19th (20 feet, ½ inch) SEC Rank: 18th Season Best: 20 feet, ½ inch

Freshman Filippa Fotopoulou joined the Alabama team in January and recorded a leap of 19-10 3/4 to finish ninth at the SEC Championships. Fotopoulou finished seventh at the NCAA East Preliminary with a personal-best leap of 20 feet, 1/2 inch to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Fotopoulou, whose twin sister Olivia also competes for the Crimson Tide track & field team, has improved her marks by over two feet over the course of the 2015 outdoor season.

Throws

MEN

Discus

Hayden Reed

Finals: Friday, June 12 - 4:05 p.m. PT

Seed: 14th (188 feet, 6 inches) SEC Rank: 3rd Season Best: 199 feet, 2 inches

Sophomore Hayden Reed will try to repeat as NCAA discus championship after winning both the NCAA and USATF discus titles in 2014. At the 2014 SEC Outdoor Championships, Reed threw a personal best 209-1. This year, Reed threw 198-4 to finish second at the 2015 SEC meet. Reed's toss of 199-2 at the LSU Invitational on May 2 ranks as his best this season. He finished 10th at the NCAA East Preliminary with a best throw of 188-6 to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Reed's victory at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships marked Alabama's first NCAA outdoor title in the men's throws since Mats Nilsson's back-to-back javelin titles in 1996-97. Combined with Gary England's 1977 NCAA indoor shot put victory, Alabama athletes have won a total of four NCAA individual throws titles overall (three outdoors, one indoors).

WOMEN

Hammer Throw

Nia Barnes

Finals: Thursday, June 11 - 1:30 p.m. PT

Seed: 21st (190 feet, 10 inches) SEC Rank: 4th Season Best: 200 feet, 7 inches

Senior Nia Barnes is slated to compete in the women's hammer throw. Barnes has a long list of accolades in the event, including Honorable Mention All-America honors in the hammer at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships and a third-place finish at the 2014 SEC Outdoor Championships. At the 2015 SEC Championships, Barnes finished fifth with a mark of 191-0. At the NCAA East Preliminary, her best mark was 190-10, which placed her 9th and advanced her to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Danielle McConnell

Finals: Thursday, June 11 - 1:30 p.m. PT

Seed: 24th (190 feet, 0 inches) SEC Rank: 5th Season Best: 199 feet, 1 inch

Junior Danielle McConnell, a native of Australia, joined the Tide in the fall of 2014 and has competed three times this year in the hammer throw. In her first meet, McConnell threw a personal best 199-1 to win the LSU Invitational on May 2. At the SEC meet, McConnell finished fourth with a best toss of 191-10. At the NCAA East Preliminary, her best mark was 190-0, which put her 12th and advanced her to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

ALABAMA'S HISTORY AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Alabama's Top Individual Scorers at the NCAA Outdoor Championships

Over the years, several Alabama student-athletes have piled up the points at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. United States Olympian and Calvin Smith (1980-83) holds the Crimson Tide men's record for both career scoring (34) and single championship scoring (18 in 1983). On the women's side, Bahamian Olympian Pauline Davis (1986-89) holds the career mark (58.75) while U.S. Olympian Lilie Leatherwood set the single-meet mark (19.5) in 1987. Keith Talley was the high point scorer at the 1986 NCAA Championships after rolling up 16 points. Charles Moseley is the only member of the Crimson Tide program to date to score in three individual events at a single NCAA Outdoor Championships. For individual totals, points from relays are divided equally among the four legs.

MEN - CAREER

34 Calvin Smith, 1980-81-82-83

26 Jeff Woodard, 1978-79-80, 1982

25.25 Ron Bramlett, 2000-01-02

22 Tim Broe, 1998-99-2000

22 David Kimani, 2002

20 Keith Talley, 1986-87

20 Siggi Matthiasson, 1987, 1989-90

16 Andrew Owusu, 1992, 1994-95

15 Charles Moseley, 1962-63

14.5 William Wuyke, 1983-84

14 Vesteinn Hafsteinsson, 1983-84, 1986

14 Matts Nilsson, 1996, 1998

MEN - SINGLE MEET

18 Calvin Smith, 1983

16** Keith Talley, 1986

14 Tim Broe, 2000

12 David Kimani, 2001

11* Charles Moseley, 1963

11 Andrew Owusu, 1995

10.25 Ron Bramlett, 2002

10 Jeff Woodard, 1980

10 Ron Bramlett, 2001

10 David Kimani, 2002

8 Calvin Smith, 1982

8 William Wuyke, 1983

8 Siggi Matthiasson, 1989

8 Mats Nilsson, 1996

*Only Alabama athlete to score in 3 events at a single NCAA outdoor meet.

**High-Point Athlete of the Meet.

WOMEN - CAREER

56.75 Pauline Davis, 1986-87-88-89

38 Lillie Leatherwood, 1983-84, 1986-87

38 Evelyn Adiru, 1985-86-87-88

36 Beth Mallory, 2003-04-05-06

26.25 Vicky Lynch, 1991-92-93-94

26 Iris Gronfeldt, 1983-84-85-86

20 Disa Gisladottir, 1982-83

17 Pia Iacovo, 1982-83-84

14.5 Flora Hyacinth, 1986-87-88, 1990

14 Heidi Olafsdottir, 1986-87

11.25 Stacy Bowen, 1993-94

11 Miruna Mataoanu, 2006-07

10.75 Diane Dunrod, 1990

10.75 Remona Burchell, 2014

10 Chealsea Taylor, 2010

WOMEN - SINGLE MEET

19.5 Lillie Leatherwood, 1987

16.25 Pauline Davis, 1989

16 Evelyn Adiru, 1986

16 Pauline Davis, 1988

15 Beth Mallory, 2005

14 Pauline Davis, 1986

14 Vicky Lynch, 1992

12 Lillie Leatherwood, 1986

10.75 Diane Dunrod, 1990

10.75 Remona Burchell, 2014

10.5 Pauline Davis, 1987

10 Disa Gisladottir, 1982

10 Disa Gisladottir, 1983

10 Iris Gronfeldt, 1984

10 Iris Gronfeldt, 1985

10 Beth Mallory, 2004

Most Team Points at an NCAA Meet

MEN

Indoor Outdoor

47 - 2002 (2nd) 88 - 1983 (3rd)

31 - 2001 (4th) 47 - 1982 (9th)

29 - 2000 (t-5th) 37 - 1984 (14th)

23 - 1978 (5th) 35 - 1986 (4th)

20 - 2014 (t-6th) 31 - 2001 (6th)

14 - 1996 (14th) 25 - 1985 (9th)

13 - 1995 (19th) 25 - 2000 (7th)

12 - 1983 (13th) 24 - 1980 (6th)

10 - 1977 (6th) 21 - 1990 (11th)

10 - 1982 (14th) 21 - 2002 (11th)

10 - 1984 (12th)

10 - 1987 (13th)

10 - 2011 (t-22nd)

WOMEN

Indoor Outdoor

33 - 1988 (3rd) 55 - 1986 (2nd)

29 - 1994 (2nd) 53 - 1984 (6th)

24 - 1989 (t-3rd) 53 - 1987 (2nd)

23 - 1986 (5th) 36 - 1983 (12th)

20 - 1993 (5th) 31 - 1982 (15th)

17 - 1991 (9th) 31 - 1988 (6th)

15 - 1987 (10th) 29 - 1990 (5th)

13 - 1995 (15th) 27 - 1992 (5th)

13 - 2015 (17th) 25 - 1993 (t-9th)

12 - 1985 (15th) 22.5 - 1985 (10th)

Most Individual Event Victories at an NCAA Meet

MEN

Indoor

2 - 2001 (3,000 - David Kimani; 5,000 - David Kimani)

2 - 2002 (60 Hurdles - Ron Bramlett; Long Jump - Miguel Pate)

Outdoor

2 - 2001 (5,000 - David Kimani; 110 Hurdles - Ron Bramlett)

WOMEN

Indoor Outdoor

1 - 7 times 1 - 9 times

Most Consecutive Years with an NCAA Champion

MEN

Indoor Outdoor

2 - 2001-02; 1977-78 3 - 2000-01-02

2 - 1996-97

WOMEN

Indoor Outdoor

2 - 1985-86; 1988-89; 2014-15 6 - 1982-87

Most Titles Won In 2-Year Span

MEN

Indoor Outdoor

2 - 1977-78 3 - 2000-01; 2001-02

2 - 1996-97; 2000-01

WOMEN

Indoor Outdoor

2 - 1985-86 2 - 1982-83

2 - 1988-89 2 - 1983-84

2 - 1989-90 2 - 1986-87

2 - 2014-15 2 - 1988-89

Most Titles Won In 3-Year Span

MEN

Indoor Outdoor

4 - 2000-02 4 - 2000-02

WOMEN

Indoor Outdoor

2 - 1985-86; 1988-89; 2014-15 2 - 1982-83; 1983-84; 1984-85; 1985-86;

1986-87

2 Consecutive NCAA Titles in Same Event

Outdoor

1982-83 - Disa Gisladottir (Women's High Jump)

1984-85 - Iris Gronfeldt (Women's Javelin)

1986-87 - Lillie Leatherwood (Women's 400 Meters)

1996-97 - Mats Nilsson (Men's Javelin)

2001-02 - Ron Bramlett (Men's 110-Meter Hurdles)

2010-11 - Kirani James (Men's 400 Meters)

Indoor

2014-15 - Remona Burchell (Women's 60 Meters)

Most NCAA Titles - Season (indoor + outdoor)

3 - David Kimani (2001 - Indoor 3,000; Indoor 5,000; Outdoor 5,000)

Most NCAA Titles - Career (indoor + outdoor)

3 - Disa Gisladottir (1982 - Outdoor Women's High Jump; 1983 - Indoor & Outdoor High Jump)

3 - Lillie Leatherwood (1985 - Indoor 400; 1986 - Outdoor 400; 1987 - Outdoor 400)

(*only Alabama athlete to win NCAA titles in 3 successive years)

3 - David Kimani (2001 - Indoor 3,000; Indoor 5,000; Outdoor 5,000)

3 - Ron Bramlett (2001 - Outdoor 110 Hurdles; 2002 - Indoor 60 Hurdles; 2002 - Outdoor 110 Hurdles)

ALABAMA'S NCAA CHAMPIONS

MEN (23 titles by 16 athletes and 2 relays)

Indoor (11) Outdoor (12)

1972 - Jan Johnson (Pole Vault) 1980 - Jeff Woodard (High Jump)

1977 - Gary England (Shot Put) 1983 - Emmit King (100 Meters)

1978 - Mile Relay 1986 - Keith Talley (110 Hurdles)

1984 - William Wuyke (1,000 Meters) 1990 - 4x100-Meter Relay

1987 - Keith Talley (55 Hurdles) 1996 - Mats Nilsson (Javelin)

1996 - Andrew Owusu (Long Jump) 1997 - Mats Nilsson (Javelin)

2001 - David Kimani (3,000 & 5,000) 2000 - Tim Broe (Steeplechase)

2002 - Ron Bramlett (60 Hurdles) 2001 - David Kimani (5,000)

2002 - Miguel Pate (Long Jump) 2002 - Ron Bramlett (110 Hurdles)

2011 - Fred Samoei (800 Meters) 2010 - Kirani James (400 Meters)

2014 - Diondre Batson (200 Meters) 2011 - Kirani James (400 Meters)

2014 - Hayden Reed (Discus)

WOMEN (16 titles by 9 athletes)

Indoor (7) Outdoor (9)

1983 - Disa Gisladottir (High Jump) 1982 - Disa Gisladottir (High Jump)

1985 - Lillie Leatherwood (400 Meters) 1983 - Disa Gisladottir (High Jump)

1986 - Liz Lynch (Mile) 1984 - Iris Gronfeldt (Javelin)

1988 - Pauline Davis (200 Meters) 1985 - Iris Gronfeldt (Javelin)

1989 - Flora Hyacinth (Triple Jump) 1986 - Lillie Leatherwood (400 Meters)

2014 - Remona Burchell (60 Meters) 1987 - Lillie Leatherwood (400 Meters)

2015 - Remona Burchell (60 Meters) 1989 - Pauline Davis (400 Meters)

2005 - Beth Mallory (Discus)

2014 - Remona Burchell (100 Meters)

CRIMSON TIDE TEAM NOTES

Alabama In The National Team Rankings

The Alabama men are ranked 19th while the Crimson Tide women are ranked 25th in the final 2015 edition of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division I National Team Computer Rankings. The Crimson Tide will send 18 athletes to the NCAA Outdoor Championships slated for Wednesday-Saturday, June 10-13, in Eugene, Ore. The national team rankings are compiled by mathematical formulae based on national descending order lists and data taken from previous seasons. The purpose and methodology of the rankings is to create an index that showcases the teams that have the best potential of achieving the top spots in the national team race. Rankings points do not equate with NCAA Championships team points.

Burchell's 60 Crown Highlighted NCAA Indoor Meet for Alabama

Senior All-American Remona Burchell blazed to her second NCAA 60-meter championship on March 14 in Fayetteville, Ark., after posting a time of 7.12. With the win, she became Alabama's first repeat NCAA individual champion.
Burchell, who set the collegiate record at 7.08 at the SEC Indoor Championships, bettered the rest of the field at the NCAA meet by 9/100ths of a second. USC's Ky Westbrook clocked a 7.21 for second place while Jasmine Todd of Oregon was third with a 7.22. Burchell's 7.12 in finals marked the sixth-fastest 60 time in collegiate history and third-fastest school history.
Sophomore Lakan Taylor also earned All-America honors, taking sixth in the pole vault by clearing a height of 14 feet, 1 ¼ inches.
Junior Cameron Hudson ended up seventh overall, earning All-America honors and two points for the Tide in the team standings. Hudson's best mark was a 24-foot, 11 3/4-inch (7.61 meters), effort on his third attempt.
Alex Amankwah took sixth in the finals of the 800-meters with a time of 1:48.03, earning All-America honors.
Jeremiah Green was ninth in the triple jump by leaping 52 feet, 2 inches, on his second attempt.
The Crimson Tide women finished 17th in the team standings with 13 points, while the Tide men took 38th with five points. Arkansas won the women's meet with 63 points while the Oregon men took first 74 points.

4 Tide Athletes Earned Indoor 1st-Team All-America Honors

Twelve Alabama athletes who competed at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., earned All-America honors based on their performances, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced.
The four athletes combined for a total of 16 All-America citations overall, including four first-team honors by four athletes led by women's sprinter Remona Burchell earning first-team honors for her victory in the 60 meters.
Other first-team honorees included women's pole vaulter Lakan Taylor, Alex Amankwah (men's 800 meters) and Cameron Hudson (men's long jump).
Seven athletes earned second-team All-America honors: Justin Fondren (men's high jump), Jeremiah Green (men's triple jump), Jacopo Lahbi (men's 800 meters), Alex Amankwah (men's 4x400 relay), Steven Gayle (men's 4x400 relay), Cameron Hudson (men's 4x400 relay) and Quincy Smith (men's 4x400 relay).
Four athletes on Alabama's distance medley relay received honorable mention: Matt Airola, Robbie Farnham-Rose, Steven Gayle and Andrew Harris.
Amankwah and Hudson earned both first-team and second-team honors in different events.
Sprinter Steven Gayle earned second-team honors and honorable mention in two different relays.
First-Team honors were given to those who placed in the championships' top eight in an event or were a member of an eight-person final.
Second-Team honors were earned by those who finished between ninth and 16th place.
Any qualifiers who did not finish or were disqualified from their event were designated Honorable Mention.
In addition, 14 men and four women earned honorable mention honors.
Overall, the Southeastern Conference led the way in total first-team honorees both in the men's (45) and women's (61) competitions, with the Big 12 both second in the men's division with 33 and the ACC second in the women's division with 31.

Alabama's USTFCCCA All-America Honorees from the 2015 NCAA Indoor Championships

First Team

Men -- Alex Amankwah (800 meters) and Cameron Hudson (long jump)

Women -- Remona Burchell (60 meters) and Lakan Taylor (pole vault)

Second Team

Men -- Alex Amankwah (4x400 relay), Justin Fondren (high jump), Steven Gayle (4x400 relay), Jeremiah Green (long jump), Cameron Hudson (60 meters and 4x400 relay), Jacopo Lahbi (800 meters) and Quincy Smith (4x400 relay)

Honorable Mention

Men -- Matt Airola (distance medley relay), Robbie Farnham-Rose (distance medley relay), Steven Gayle (distance medley relay) and Andrew Harris (distance medley relay)

Tide Roster Has Youthful Slant

Both the men's and women's rosters of the 2015 Alabama track & field team are predominantly populated by student-athletes classified as redshirt sophomores or younger in classification.
A total of 56.4 percent (22 of 39) of the Tide women's roster consists of either freshmen or sophomores, while 52.2 percent (24 of 46) of the men's roster is either freshmen or sophomores.
Overall, 55.4 percent (46 of 85) members of the current Crimson Tide team are either freshmen or sophomores..

8 Tide Athletes Were Ranked Among World, U.S. Leaders in 2014

Eight University of Alabama athletes and three relay foursomes ended the 2014 world track & field season ranked among the best on the final United States and/or World Lists for top performances in the sport by Track & Field News magazine. The magazine, known internationally as the foremost authority on the sport, produced its top 10 World and United States rankings as part of its review of the entire 2014 athletics season in the February 2015 issue.
Sprinter Remona Burchell of Jamaica and thrower Hayden Reed of the USA were the most prominent members of the 2014 Crimson Tide team on the year-end lists, but by no means were they the only athletes to earn mention among World or US leaders in their respective events over the course of the entire 2014 calendar year.
Burchell, winner of the NCAA indoor women's 60-meter title and the NCAA outdoor women's 100-meter championship, ended the year with the 13th-fastest 100-meter dash time with her best clocking of 11.03 set at the NCAA East Regional in Jacksonville, Fla., on May 30. Burchell actually posted a wind-aided time of 10.95 seconds in the semi-finals of the 100 at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore., on June 11, but that mark does not officially count for record-keeping purposes as it was above the legal wind speed allowable. However, that time ranked as the fastest wind-aided mark in the world in 2014, and the fifth-fastest 100 run under any conditions in 2014.
After a breakout season in which he captured the NCAA and USATF discus championships, Reed finished the 2014 season ranked as America's No. 1 discus athlete. Reed became the first man since Kamy Keshmiri in 1990 to win the NCAA and USA titles in the discus in the same year. Reed, who won the NCAA crown with his final throw at the Outdoor Championships in early June, had a throw of 62.19 meters (204 feet) on his second attempt at the USATF Championships in late June, and that effort held up throughout the rest of the competition. His best throw of the 2014 season was a 209-1 effort on May 17 at the SEC Outdoor Championships in Lexington, Ky., a performance that earned a second-place finish for Reed. His winning effort at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., went 205 feet, 10 inches.
Several other athletes from the 2014 Crimson Tide team ended the year among the world or American leaders in a variety of events.
Sprinter Diondre Batson, who won the NCAA indoor men's 200-meter title in March, ended an injury-plagued senior season with the 27th-fastest 100-meter time in the world for 2014, a 10.04 on May 3 at a meet in Starkville, Miss. Batson's 20.32 clocking in the 200 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships at Albuquerque, N.M., placed him 33rd on the 2014 final World List in the event.
Thrower Charodd Richardson made remarkable improvements in the hammer and weight throw in 2014. Richardson ended up 37th overall on the U.S. List in the men's hammer via his personal best of 213-6 (65.07m).
High jumper Justin Fondren was 30th on the U.S. list in the event via a 7-3 (2.21m) clearance he made in Tuscaloosa on April 5.
In the women's pole vault, Alexis Paine completed her outstanding collegiate career during the indoor season with a school-record clearance of 14-3 1/2 (4.35m) on February 7 in Birmingham. That effort put Paine 21st on the final 2014 U.S. List in the event.
As a freshman, Quanesha Burks ended the 2014 season tied for 22nd on the U.S. List in the long jump with a best of 20-11 1/4 (6.38m) set during the indoor season.
Nia Barnes finished 2014 at 34th on the U.S. List in the hammer with a best of 203-9 (62.11m) set at the NCAA East Regional meet in Jacksonville, Fla., on May 29.
The Crimson Tide relay teams also made the lists. Alabama's men's 4x100-meter relay quartet of Alex Sanders, Diondre Batson, Akeem Haynes and Dwight Davis was 35th on the 2014 World List with a time of 38.91 set on April 5 in Tuscaloosa. • Alabama's men's 4x400 relay unit of Dwight Davis, Alex Amankwah, Jacopo Lahbi and Ken Taylor was 40th on the 2014 U.S. List with a clocking of 3:07.09 set at the SEC Outdoor Championships on May 18 at Lexington, Ky.
The Tide women's 4x100 quartet of Quanesha Burks, Remona Burchell, Dominique Kimpel and Sarah Thomas was 34th on the 2014 World List with a 43.76 set on June 11 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

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