Alabama
NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships
Alabama’s Stacey Destin Earns Double All-America Honors on Day 1 of NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships
3/10/2017 9:50:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Crimson Tide men & women advance five athletes to Saturday’s finals; women sit in second place in team chase
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Stacey Destin set school records in the high jump and pentathlon and became the first Alabama women's athlete in 28 years to earn All-America honors in two individual events at one NCAA indoor championship on Day 1 of the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships at Texas A&M University's Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium on Friday.
Destin finished sixth in the pentathlon and fourth in the high jump to earn first-team All-America honors in both events. The sophomore joins Pauline Davis (1988, 1989), Flora Hyacinth (1987) and Liz Lynch (1986) as the only UA women to finish as All-Americans in two non-relay events at the same NCAA indoor meet.
Destin tallied a school-record 4,186 points in the pentathlon, her third Alabama-record total in three pentathlon competitions this season. Her school-record high jump mark of 6-2 3/4 (1.90m) was recorded in the afternoon pentathlon. She would go on to finish fourth in the individual high jump in the evening with a clearance of 6-1 1/2 (1.87m), which equals the third-best mark in UA history.
Senior Quanesha Burks joined Destin on the award stand, finishing second in the women's long jump with a mark of 22-0 3/4 (6.72m). Burks led the event going into the sixth and final round of jumps but was surpassed by Kentucky's Sha'Keela Saunders, who won with a mark of 22-7 3/4 (6.90m). In all, Burks finished the day with four jumps that rank among top-10 all-time at Alabama. In the only other Friday final for the Tide women, junior Haley Teel finished 16th in the shot put at 51-5 3/4 (15.69m).
With the performances by Destin and Burks, the Tide women are currently in second place in the team race with 16 points. Georgia leads with 41 points. Arkansas and Michigan are tied for third with 12 points and Ole Miss is fifth with 11 points.
In men's finals on Friday, junior Alfred Chelanga finished fifth in the 5,000 meters in 13:48.36, the fifth-fastest time in school history, and senior Kyle Felpel finished ninth in the shot put with a mark of 62-3 3/4 (18.99m), the fourth-best mark in school history. Felpel also recorded marks that rank sixth and eighth all-time at Alabama on Friday.
Chelanga's fifth-place finish was good for four points in the team race and puts the Tide in 19th place in the men's team competition. Oregon leads with 17 points, followed by Texas A&M (16), Ole Miss (12) and Virginia Tech (10.5). Florida, Colorado State and South Dakota are tied for fifth with 10 points apiece.
"Stacey Destin had a tremendous day," Alabama head coach Dan Waters said. "The pentathlon is such a demanding event physically so to set two school records and then go out and record a top-three school mark in the high jump a few hours later puts her in some exclusive company at Alabama. Overall, I thought we had a very good day with the finals performances we saw and the number of athletes who advanced to Saturday. We need to carry that momentum into tomorrow and finish strong."
In Friday's men's preliminaries, junior Jereem Richards advanced to the final in the men's 200 meters with a time of 20.50, the second-fastest qualifying time of the evening. Senior Steven Gayle advanced in the 400 meters with a time of 46.42 and junior Ruebin Walters moved on in the 60-meter hurdles in 7.73.
Advancing for the women were Burks in the 60-meters, in a personal-best 7.21, and senior Alex Gholston in the 400 meters in 52.56.
Alabama will get underway on Day 2 of the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday afternoon with Daniel Haugh and Elias Hakansson in the men's weight throw. Running event finals begin for the Tide at 4:20 with Quanesha Burks in the women's 60 meters.
Men's Event Summaries – NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships Day 1
Preliminaries
200 Meters – Junior Jereem Richards qualified for the final in the men's 200 meters in a time of 20.50, the third-fastest time in school history. Richards now holds four of the five fastest times ever run in the indoor 200 meters at Alabama.
400 Meters – Senior Steven Gayle finished seventh in the prelims of the men's 400 meters in a time of 46.42 to advance to Saturday's final. The time is the fifth-fastest in school history. Three of those five times are held by Gayle.
60-Meter Hurdles – Junior Ruebin Walters finished seventh in the prelims of the men's 60-meter hurdles in a time of 7.73 to advance to Saturday's final. The time is the fifth-fastest in school history with Walters holding five of the top-10 marks. Senior Angelo Goss finished 11th in 7.89 and did not advance.
Finals
5,000 Meters – Junior Alfred Chelanga finished fifth in the men's 5,000 meters in 13:48.36, the fifth-fastest time in school history.
Shot Put – Senior Kyle Felpel finished ninth in the men's shot put with an effort of 62-3 3/4 (18.99m), the fourth-best mark in school history. Felpel also recorded marks that rank sixth and eighth all-time at Alabama on Friday.
Alabama Series
Felpel – 61-8 1/4 (18.80m); 62-3 3/4 (18.99m); Foul; Foul; Foul; 61-11 1/2 (18.88m)
Women's Event Summaries – NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships Day 1
Preliminaries
60 Meters – Senior Quanesha Burks posted a personal-best 7.21 in the prelims of the women's 60 meters to finish fourth and advance to Saturday's final. The time is the third-fastest in school history.
400 Meters – Senior Alex Gholston finished sixth in the prelims of the women's 400 meters in 52.56 to advance to Saturday's final. The time is the third-fastest in Alabama history.
60-Meter Hurdles – Senior Vanessa Clerveaux finished ninth in the prelims of the women's 60-meter hurdles in a time of 8.13 but did not advance to Saturday's final. The time is the fifth-fastest in school history, giving Clerveaux four of the 10 fastest times ever run in the event at Alabama.
Finals
Pentathlon – Sophomore Stacey Destin set a school record in the pentathlon for the third time this season with a 4,186 point performance. Destin now owns the top three scores in the event in school history. The sophomore opened the event with an 8.63 in the 60-meter hurdles, equaling her third-fastest time in the event this season, good enough for 989 points and 11th place after one event. Destin went on to set a school record in the high jump with a clearance of 6-2 3/4 (1.90m), to give her 2,095 points overall to move her into second place through two events. In the shot put, Destin recorded a personal-best mark of 38-5 (11.71m) for 656 points to give her 2,737 points after three events to put her in third place. Destin then recorded a mark of 18-11 3/4 (5.78m) for 783 points to sit in fourth place over all with 3,520 points heading into final event of the day. Destin closed the pentathlon with a time of 2:32.15 in the 800 meters to give her 4,186 points and a new school record.
Alabama Pentathlon Scoring
60 Meter Hurdles – 11. Stacey Destin, 8.63 (989 points/989 total points- 11th place)
High Jump – 1. Stacey Destin, 6-2 3/4 (1.90m) (SR) (1,106 points/2,095 total points- 2nd place)
Alabama Series
Destin – 1.57m (Pass), 1.60m (Pass); 1.63m (Pass); 1.66m (Pass); 1.69m (o); 1.72m (xo); 1.75m (xo); 1.78m (o); 1.81m (xo); 1.84m (xxo); 1.87m (xo); 1.90m (o); 1.93m (xxx)
Shot Put – 14. Stacey Destin, 38-5 (11.71m) (PB) (656 points/2,737 total points- 3rd place)
Alabama Series
Destin- 35-2 1/2 (10.73m); 37-1 1/4 (11.31m); 38-5 (11.71m)
Long Jump – 10. Stacey Destin, 18-11 3/4 (5.78m) (783 points/3,520 total points- 4th place)
Alabama Series
Destin- Foul; 18-11 1/4 (5.77m); 18-11 3/4 (5.78m)
800 Meters – 16. Stacey Destin, 2:32.15 (666 points/4,186 total points- 6th place)
Shot Put – Junior Haley Teel finished 16th in the women's shot put with mark of 51-5 3/4 (15.69m).
Alabama Series
Teel – Foul; 49-2 1/2 (15.00m); 51-5 3/4 (15.69m)
High Jump – Sophomore Stacey Destin finished fourth in the women's high jump with a leap of 6-1 1/2 (1.87m), equaling the third-best mark in school history. Earlier in the day, Destin set the UA record in the high jump with a clearance of 6-2 3/4 (1.90m) in the women's pentathlon on her way to a sixth-place finish in that event.
Alabama Series
Destin – 1.76m (o); 1.81m (xxo); 1.84m (o); 1.87m (o); 1.90m (xxx)
Long Jump – Senior Quanesha Burks finished second in the women's long jump with a mark of 22-0 3/4 (6.72m), the fourth-longest jump in school history. Burks also recorded the sixth-, seventh- & ninth-best jumps in UA history on Friday evening.
Alabama Series
Burks – 21-9 1/2 (6.64m); 21-8 (6.60m); Foul; 21-10 (6.65m); 22-0 3/4 (6.72m); Foul
NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships
Friday, March 10, 2017
Alabama Results
Men
Team Scoring
1. Oregon- 17
2. Texas A&M- 16
3. Ole Miss- 12
4. Virginia Tech- 10.5
5t. Florida- 10
5t. Colorado State- 10
5t. South Dakota- 10
19. ALABAMA- 4
Preliminaries
400 Meters – 7. Steven Gayle, 46.42 (q)
60-Meter Hurdles – 7. Ruebin Walters, 7.73 (q); 11. Angelo Goss, 7.89
200 Meters – 2. Jereem Richards, 20.50 (q)
Finals
5,000 Meters – 5. Alfred Chelanga, 13:48.36
Shot Put– 9. Kyle Felpel, 62-3 3/4 (18.99m)
Women
Team Scoring
1. Georgia- 41
2. ALABAMA- 16
3t. Arkansas- 12
3t. Michigan- 12
5. Ole Miss- 11
Preliminaries
60 Meters – 4. Quanesha Burks, 7.21 (PB) (q)
60-Meter Hurdles – 9. Vanessa Clerveaux, 8.13
400 Meters – 6. Alex Gholston, 52.56 (q)
Finals
Shot Put – 16. Haley Teel, 51-5 3/4 (15.69m)
High Jump – 4. Stacey Destin, 6-1 1/2 (1.87m)
Long Jump – 2. Quanesha Burks, 22-0 3/4 (6.72m)
Pentathlon – 6. Stacey Destin, 4,186 points (SR)
Alabama Superlatives
School Records
Women
High Jump – Stacey Destin, 6-2 3/4 (1.91m)*
Pentathlon – Stacey Destin, 4,186 points
*- Pentathlon
School Top-10 Performances
Men
200 Meters- 3. Jereem Richards, 20.50
400 Meters- 5. Steven Gayle, 46.42
5,000 Meters- 5. Alfred Chelanga, 13:48.36
60-Meter Hurdles- 7. Ruebin Walters, 7.73
Shot Put- 4. Kyle Felpel, 62-3 3/4 (18.99m)
Shot Put- 6. Kyle Felpel, 61-11 1/2 (18.88m)
Shot Put- 8. Kyle Felpel, 61-8 1/4 (18.80m)
Women
400 Meters- 3. Alex Gholston, 52.56
60-Meter Hurdles- 5. Vanessa Clerveaux, 8.13
High Jump- 3t. Stacey Destin, 6-1 1/2 (1.87m)
Long Jump- 4. Quanesha Burks, 22-0 3/4 (6.72m)
Long Jump- 6. Quanesha Burks, 21-10 (6.65m)
Long Jump- 7. Quanesha Burks, 21-9 1/2 (6.64m)
Long Jump- 9. Quanesha Burks, 21-8 (6.60m)
Personal Bests
Women
High Jump – Stacey Destin, 6-2 3/4 (1.91m)*
Shot Put – Stacey Destin, 38-5 (11.71m)*
Pentathlon- Stacey Destin, 4,186
*- Pentathlon
PB- Personal best
SB- Season best
SR- School record
NB- National best
NM- No mark
NH- No height
DNF- Did not finish
DNS- Did not start
Q- Qualified for final with heat win
q- Qualified for final on time
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Players Mentioned
