Alabama
NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships
Alabama Track and Field Set for NCAA Indoor Championships at the Birmingham CrossPlex
3/7/2019 4:44:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country
The Crimson Tide is sending 13 men and women to the championships, which will be held March 8-9 in Birmingham, Ala.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Some years, the national championships take Alabama track and field clear across the country, and other times, like this week's NCAA Indoor Championships, the trip takes the Crimson Tide just up the road to Birmingham, Ala.
A total of 13 members of the Alabama men's and women's teams will make the hour-long journey to the site of this year's championships, which will be held March 8-9 at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
"It's exciting that NCAAs is just an hour away," senior Kiara Williams said. "We just jump on the bus to get there, it's not a whole day of traveling. It's basically a home field for us, our teammates will be there cheering us on and we all have family and friends coming. It's going to be so exciting."
The Tide has seven women and six men slated to compete in 11 individual events and a relay. There are a total of 16 spots available in each individual and relay event at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
"With just 16 from across the country in each event, there's no doubt that this is an elite field," UA head coach Dan Waters said. "Just to make it to this point means that you are among the very best. Once you make it, you have to trust what got you here."
That message, plus a majority of this year's Tide contingent bringing the experience of having been at this meet in the past, should give the team confidence heading into the weekend.
"Coach Waters always says that what we have done to get to this meet is what we need to do to be successful," senior Gilbert Kigen said. "So, I think we are ready and that the coaches have really prepared us well for this weekend."
A packed field means that attention to detail will be key to the Tide's success.
"They goal is to stay focused through the whole meet and doing the things it takes to be successful," junior Shelby McEwen said.
McEwen comes into this year's championships seeded No. 1 in the high jump after posting a career-best mark of 7-7 (2.31 meters) during the regular season, just three-quarters of a inch off both the school and Southeastern Conference record.
Sophomore Tamara Clark and senior Portious Warren both come into the weekend after winning titles at the recent SEC indoor championships. Clark won the 200 meters with a career-best 22.90, while Warren won the shot put with a career-best and school-record mark of 17.30 meters.
"Coming into this week with the experience from last year and coming off the win at SECs, I think it will put me in good mindset to just go out there and do what I know I'm capable of and just bring my level of confidence up," Warren said.
Women's Entrants (seed/mark)
- Tamara Clark, So., 200 meters (4th/22.90); 60m dash (9th/7.23); 4x400-meter relay (7th/3:32.04)
- Takyera Roberson, Jr., 4x400-meter relay (7th/3:32.04)
- Katie Funcheon, Jr. 4x400-meter relay (7th/3:32.04)
- Mauricia Prieto, Sr. 4x400-meter relay (7th/3:32.04)
- Portious Warren, Sr., Shot Put (8th/17.30m)
- Kiara Williams, Sr., Long Jump (12th/6.30m)
- Stacey Destin, Sr., Pentathlon (14th/4122pts)
Men's Entrants (seed/mark)
- Shelby McEwen, Jr., High Jump (1st/2.31m)
- Kord Ferguson, Sr., Shot Put (7th/19.89m)
- Keitavious Walter, Sr., 200 meters (10th/20.68)
- Gilbert Kigen, Sr., 5,000 meters (11th/13:40.14)
- Vincent Kiprop, Sr., 5,000 meters (16th/13:41.21)
- Bobby Colantonio Jr., Fr., Weight Throw (16th/21.63m)
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Players Mentioned
