Alabama Posts Top 10 Team Finishes at NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships
3/11/2017 8:37:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Women third, men eighth as Taylor wins women’s pole vault to cap record-setting weekend
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Lakan Taylor's national championship in the women's pole vault spurred the Alabama women's track & field team to a record point total and third place finish on the final day of the 2017 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday at Texas A&M University's Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium. The Alabama men posted and eighth-place finish to give the combined Crimson Tide programs their first double top-10 finish at the NCAA indoor championships.
The Tide women finished with 37 points, the most ever scored by Alabama in the women's indoor championship to finish third behind national champion Oregon (84) and runner-up Georgia (51). USC (35) and Arkansas (32.5) rounded out the top five. The finish is only the fourth top-three placing for the women indoors. Alabama finished second in 1994 and third in 1988 and 1989.
The men tallied 22 points to finish eighth, their second top-10 finish in the last four seasons. Texas A&M won the men's title with 46 points, to edge runner-up Florida (45.5) by a half point. Oregon (48) was third with Georgia (35.5) and Arkansas (33) rounding out the top five.
"Week in, week out, our women came to compete and had great focus and competiveness," head coach Dan Waters said. "I couldn't be prouder of them. They represented Alabama with class, competitiveness and dignity. I'm really proud of the men too. There are very few programs nationally with two top 10 teams and we're one of them. We felt like we had a lot of great things happen over the weekend and you can't ask for much more than what they gave us."
Taylor's performance in the pole vault capped off the meet for Alabama as she broke the school record on consecutive vaults to defeat 15 other competitors and earn Alabama's first national championship – indoors or outdoors – in the event. She had to clear two heights beyond the previous Alabama record of 14-3 1/2 (5.35m), set by Alexis Paine in 2014, to win the championship.
The Fort Worth, Texas, native cleared 14-5 1/4 (4.40m) on her first attempt at that height to take the lead in the competition and establish a new school record. She followed that up with her winning clearance at 14-7 1/4 (4.45m), again on her first attempt, and went on to defeat runner-up Annie Rhodes of Baylor based on fewest misses. In all, Taylor missed only one attempt at the first six heights of the day before both she and Rhodes went out at 14-9 (4.50m) to end the competition.
"When I cleared the second height (14-7 1/4) on the first attempt, it just felt really great," Taylor said. "I just had to trust in my jump and trust in my coach. Michael Bartolina an outstanding coach and I wouldn't be here without him or all the coaches I've had before. They got me to this moment. I had a great practice this week, I only jumped one time before the meet. It was a great jump. I knew I could get the heights I cleared but I wasn't expecting to come out on top."
Taylor's previous best finish in the pole vault at the NCAA indoor championships was sixth place in 2015.
"Lakan and I had a good meeting this summer and talked about making this a great senior year," Waters said. "She took that to heart and has done some unbelievable things. She's in a really great spot with her vaulting and I'm glad she was able to see it come to fruition."
The Tide women also received another record-setting performance by the 4x400-meter relay team of freshman Takyera Roberson and seniors Alex Gholston, Diamond Gause and Domonique Williams, who finished fourth in the women's 4x400-meter relay in a school-record time of 3:28.62.
Other scorers for the women Saturday included Alex Gholston in the 400 meters (fifth, 52.23) and Quanesha Burks in the 60 meters (seventh, 7.27).
On the men's side, Jereem Richards continued his record-setting performance in the 200 meters as he established a new Alabama best with a time of 20.31 to finish second in the event on Saturday. The time surpasses the record 20.32 set by Diondre Batson at the 2014 NCAA championships in Albuquerque, N.M. and gives the junior five of the 10 fastest times in Alabama history.
Other men's scorers on Saturday were Steven Gayle in the 400 meters (fourth, 46.02), Ruebin Walters in the 60-meter hurdles (fifth, 7.77) and the 4x400 relay squad of Skyler Bowden, Gayle, Jacopo Lahbi and Richards (eighth, 3:06.06).
Alabama will open the 2017 outdoor track season at the Mississippi State Relays, March 17-18 in Starkville, Miss.
Men's Event Summaries – NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships Day 2
Finals
200 Meters – Junior Jereem Richards finished second in the men's 200 meters in a school record time of 20.31. The time surpasses the record 20.32 set by Diondre Batson at the 2014 NCAA championships in Albuquerque, N.M.
400 Meters – Senior Steven Gayle finished fourth in the men's 400 meters in 46.02, the third-fastest time in school history. Gayle now owns four of the 10 fastest 400 meter times in UA history.
60-Meter Hurdles – Junior Ruebin Walters finished fifth in 7.77, the ninth-fastest time in school history.
4x400-Meter Relay – The 4x400-meter relay of sophomore Skyler Bowden, seniors Steven Gayle and Jacopo Lahbi and junior Jereem Richards finished eighth in 3:06.06, the fourth-fastest time in school history. This relay group ends the 2017 indoor season with four of the six fastest 4x400 relay times ever run at Alabama.
Weight Throw – Junior Daniel Haugh finished ninth in the men's weight throw with a mark of 70-9 (21.56m). Senior Elias Hakansson finished 13th at 68-5 1/4 (20.86m).
Alabama Series
Haugh – 69-6 3/4 (21.20m); 69-11 1/2 (21.32m); 70-9 (21.56m); 69-8 (21.23m); Foul; 70-5 3/4 (21.48m)                                                                                                                                         Â
Hakansson – Foul; 68-5 1/4 (20.86m); Foul
Women's Event Summaries – NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships Day 2
Finals
60 Meters – Senior Quanesha Burks finished seventh in the women's 60 meters in 7.27. The time equals her second-fastest this season.
400 Meters – Senior Alex Gholston finished fifth in the women's 400 meters in a personal-best 52.23, the second-fastest time in school history.
4x400-Meter Relay – The quartet of freshman Takyera Roberson and seniors Alex Gholston, Diamond Gause and Domonique Williams finished fourth in the women's 4x400-meter relay in a school-record time of 3:28.62. The time ranks as one of the fastest ever run in the event at the collegiate level as the top two finishers – USC (3:27.03) and Oregon (3:27.07) surpassed the previous college record.
Pole Vault – Senior Lakan Taylor became the first women's pole vault champion in Alabama history with a school-record vault of 14-7 1/4 (4.45m) to defeat Baylor's Annie Rhoades for the title.
Alabama Series
Taylor – 4.05m (o); 4.20m (o); 4.30m (xo); 4.40m (o); 4.45m (o); 4.50m (xxx)
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NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Alabama Results
Men
Final Team Scoring
1. Texas A&M- 46
2. Florida- 45.5
3. Oregon-38
4. Georgia- 35.5
5. Arkansas- 33
8. ALABAMA- 22
Finals
400 Meters – 4. Steven Gayle, 46.02
60-Meter Hurdles – 5. Ruebin Walters, 7.77
200 Meters – 2. Jereem Richards, 20.31 (SR)
4x400- Meter Relay – 8. Alabama (Skyler Bowden, Steven Gayle, Jacopo Lahbi, Jereem Richards), 3:06.06
Weight Throw – 9. Daniel Haugh, 70-9 (21.56m); 13. Elias Hakansson 68-5 1/4 (20.86m)
Women
Final Team Scoring
1. Oregon- 84
2. Georgia- 51
3. ALABAMA- 37
4. USC- 35
5. Arkansas- 32.5
Finals
60 Meters – 7. Quanesha Burks, 7.27
400 Meters – 5. Alex Gholston, 52.23 (PB)
4x400- Meter Relay – 4. Alabama (Takyera Roberson, Alex Gholston, Diamond Gause, Domonique Williams), 3:28.62 (SR)
Pole Vault – 1. Lakan Taylor, 14-7 1/4 (4.45m)
Alabama Superlatives
School Records
Men
200 Meters- Jereem Richards, 20.31
Women
High Jump- Stacey Destin, 6-2 3/4 (1.91m)*
Pentathlon- Stacey Destin, 4,186 points
Pole Vault- Lakan Taylor, 14-7 1/4 (4.45m)
4x400-Meter Relay- Takyera Roberson, Alex Gholston, Diamond Gause, Domonique Williams, 3:28.62
*- Pentathlon
School Top-10 Performances
Men
200 Meters- 4. Jereem Richards, 20.50
400 Meters- 3. Steven Gayle, 46.02
400 Meters- 6. Steven Gayle, 46.42
5,000 Meters- 5. Alfred Chelanga, 13:48.36
60-Meter Hurdles- 7. Ruebin Walters, 7.73
60-Meter Hurdles- 9. Ruebin Walters, 7.77
Shot Put- 4. Kyle Felpel, 62-3 3/4 (18.99m)
Shot Put- 6. Kyle Felpel, 61-11 1/2 (18.88m)
Shot Put- 9. Kyle Felpel, 61-8 1/4 (18.80m)
4x400-Meter Relay- 4. Skyler Bowden, Steven Gayle, Jacopo Lahbi, Jereem Richards, 3:06.06
Women
400 Meters- 2. Alex Gholston, 52.23
400 Meters- 4. 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- 7. Quanesha Burks, 21-10 (6.65m)
Long Jump- 8. Quanesha Burks, 21-9 1/2 (6.64m)
Long Jump- 10. Quanesha Burks, 21-8 (6.60m)
Personal Bests
Men
200 Meters- Jereem Richards, 20.31
Women
60 Meters- Quanesha Burks, 7.21
High Jump- Stacey Destin, 6-2 3/4 (1.91m)*
Shot Put- Stacey Destin, 38-5 (11.71m)*
Pentathlon- Stacey Destin, 4,186
400 Meters- Alex Gholston, 52.23
*- 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
