Alabama
NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships
Alabama’s Stacey Destin, Kord Ferguson and Vincent Kiprop Earn All-America Honors on Day 1 of NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships
3/9/2018 9:35:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Kiprop sprints to UA’s first top-two finish in 5,000 meters since 2001
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS – Alabama opened competition at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships with All-American performances in the shot put, high jump and 5,000 meters on Friday at Texas A&M University's Gilliam Indoor Track & Field Stadium.
The Tide men ended Day 1 tied for third place with Florida at 11 points. Virginia Tech leads with 16 points followed by Texas A&M with 15.5, the Tide and Gators at 11 and Colorado State with 10 points. The Alabama women are tied for 20th with three points. Georgia tops the women's leaderboard with 33 points. Florida is second with 13 points, followed by New Mexico in third with 12 points. North Carolina, Arizona State, Missouri and Arkansas are tied for fourth with 10 points each.
The Crimson Tide men received a pair of All-American finishes from juniors Vincent Kiprop and Kord Ferguson. Kiprop finished second in the men's 5,000 meters in 14:15.01 for the first top-two finish for the Tide at that distance since David Kimani won the event at the 2001 NCAA Championships. Ferguson finished sixth in the men's shot put with an effort of 64-3 (19.58m) to earn All-America honors in the event for the first time in his career. The mark is the fourth-best in school history.
Junior Stacey Destin finished sixth in the women's high jump at 6-0 ½ (1.84m) to earn indoor All-America honors in the event for the second season in a row. Destin has now finished as an All-American in her last three NCAA high jump competitions – 2017 indoor, 2017 outdoor and 2018 indoor.
Destin opened the competition for Alabama at this year's championships in the women's pentathlon on Friday afternoon. She began the day with a season-best 8.60 in the 60-meter hurdles and turned in a season-best 2:21.92 in the 800 meters to finish with 4,100 points and a 10th-place overall finish. The point total ranks No. 5 all-time at Alabama.
In preliminary action on Friday, junior Ruebin Walters finished 13th in the men's 60-meter hurdles in 7.93 and freshman Daija Lampkin finished 16th in the women's 200 meters in 23.52 and did not advance to Saturday's finals.
Saturday's events will get underway for the Crimson Tide at 2 p.m. CT with Daniel Haugh in the men's weight throw. Southeastern Conference champion Shelby McEwen will compete in the men's high jump at 3:30 p.m. On the track, the Tide's women's 4x400-meter relay will end the day at 6:55 p.m. CT.
Men's Event Summaries – NCAA Championships Day 1
Shot Put – Junior Kord Ferguson finished sixth in the shot put with an effort of 64-3 (19.58m) to earn All-America honors in the event for the first time in his career. The mark ranks No. 4 all-time at Alabama.
Alabama Series
Ferguson – 62-8 ¾ (19.12m); 62-5 ¾ (19.04m); 64-3 (19.58m); 62-10 ½ (19.16m); 63-2 (19.25m); Foul
60-Meter Hurdles (Prelims) – Ruebin Walters finished 13th in the prelims of the 60-meter hurdles and did not advance to Saturday's final.
5,000 Meters (Final) – Junior Vincent Kiprop finished second in the 5,000 meters in 14:15.01 for the first top-two finish in the event for Alabama since David Kimani won the event at the 2001 NCAA Championships. Junior Gilbert Kigen finished 10th in 14:17.73.
Women's Event Summaries – NCAA Championships Day 1
Pentathlon – Junior Stacey Destin opened the women's pentathlon with a season-best 8.60 in the 60-meter hurdles and 995 points, putting her in ninth place after one event. She then cleared 5-10 (1.78m) in the high jump for 953 points, upping her total to 1,948 points, good enough for sixth place. A 34-7 (10.54m) effort in the shot put and a 19-0 ½ (5.80m) leap in the long jump found Destin in ninth place at 3,302 points heading into the 800 meters – the final event of the competition. She capped the day with a season-best time of 2:21.92 in the 800, good for 798 points, which pushed her to 4,100 points and a 10th-place overall finish. The point total ranks No. 5 all-time at Alabama.
Alabama Pentathlon Scoring
60-Meter Hurdles – 9. Stacey Destin, 8.60 (PSB) (995 points/995 total points – ninth place)
High Jump – 3. Stacey Destin, 5-10 (1.78m) (953 points/1,948 total points – sixth place)
Alabama Series
Destin – 4-11 ½ (1.51m) (ppp); 5-0 ½ (1.54m) (ppp); 5-1 ¾ (1.57m) (ppp); 5-3 (1.60m) (ppp); 5-4 ¼ (1.63m) (ppp); 5-5 ¼ (1.66m) (ppp); 5-6 ½ (1.69m) (xo); 5-7 ¾ (1.72m) (o); 5-8 ¾ (1.75m) (o); 5-10 (1.78m) (xo); 5-11 ¼ (1.81m) (xxx)
Shot Put – 16. Stacey Destin, 34-7 (10.54m) (565 points/2,513 total points – ninth place)
Alabama Series
Destin – 34-7 (10.54m); 34-5 ¾ (10.51m); 33-0 ½ (10.07m)
Long Jump – 8. Stacey Destin, 19-0 ½ (5.80m) (789 points/3,302 total points – ninth place)
Alabama Series
Destin – 17-10 ¼ (5.44); Foul; 19-0 ½ (5.80m)
800 Meters – 11. Stacey Destin, 2:21.92 (PSB) (798 points/4,100 total points – 10th place)
Shot Put – Junior Portious Warren finished 11th in the shot put with a mark of 52-11 ½ (16.14m).
Alabama Series
Warren – 52-11 ½ (16.14m); 50-6 ¾ (15.41m); 52-0 ¾ (15.87m)
High Jump – Junior Stacey Destin finished sixth in the high jump at 6-0 ½ (1.84m) to earn All-America honors in the event for the second season in a row. Destin has now finished as an All-American in her last three NCAA meets – 2017 indoor, 2017 outdoor and 2018 indoor. The mark also equals the 10th-best in Alabama history.
Alabama Series
Destin – 5-9 ¼ (1.76m) (xo); 5-11 ¼ (1.81m) (xxo); 6-0 ½ (1.84m) (o); 6-1 ½ (1.87m) (xxx)
200 Meters (Prelims) – Freshman Daija Lampkin finished 16th in the prelims of the 200 meters in 23.52 and did not advance to Saturday's finals.
NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships
Friday, March 9, 2018
College Station, Texas (Texas A&M University)
Men
Team Scoring
1. Virginia Tech – 16
2. Texas A&M – 15.5
T-3. ALABAMA - 11
T-3. Florida – 11
5. Colorado State – 10
Finals
5,000 Meters – 2. Vincent Kiprop, 14:15.01; 10. Gilbert Kigen, 14:17.73
Shot Put – 6. Kord Ferguson, 64-3 (19.58m)
Prelims
60-Meter Hurdles – 13. Ruebin Walters, 7.93
Women
Team Scoring
1. Georgia – 33
2. Florida – 13
3. New Mexico – 12
T-4. North Carolina – 10
T-4. Arizona State – 10
T-4. Missouri – 10
T-4. Arkansas – 10
T-20. ALABAMA
Finals
High Jump – 6. Stacey Destin, 6-0 ½ (1.84m)
Shot Put – 11. Portious Warren, 52-11 ½ (16.14m)
Pentathlon – 10. Stacey Destin, 4,100 points
Prelims
200 Meters – 16. Daija Lampkin, 23.52
Alabama Superlatives
School Top-10 Performances
Men
Shot Put – 4. Kord Ferguson, 64-3 (19.58m)
Shot Put – 7. Kord Ferguson, 63-2 (19.25m)
Shot Put – 9. Kord Ferguson, 62-10 ½ (19.16m)
Women
Pentathlon – 5. Stacey Destin, 4,100 points
High Jump – T-10. Stacey Destin, 6-0 ½ (1.84m)
Individual Season Bests
Women
60-Meter Hurdles* – Stacey Destin, 8.60
800 Meters* – Stacey Destin, 2:21.92
*- Pentathlon
PB – Personal Best
PSB – Personal Season Best
TSB – Team Season Best
SR – School Record
MR – Meet Record
NM – No mark
NH – No height
DNF – Did not finish
DNS – Did not start
Q – Qualified for final with heat finish
q – Qualified for final with heat time
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Players Mentioned
