BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Atlantic Coast Conference student-athletes made a strong showing on the final day of the 2019 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, particularly Virginia men’s triple jump standout Jordan Scott.
Scott recorded the first NCAA indoor field championship for the Virginia men’s track and field team in school history.
Scott is also the first Cavalier to win an NCAA indoor title since Henry Wynne’s 1500m victory in 2016 and is the first ACC male competitor to win the indoor national title in the triple jump.
“I do not have the words to describe my feeling for Jordan Scott,” director of track and field Bryan Fetzer said. “He embodies our team principles, especially being grateful. His best is yet to come.
“Birmingham has been such a special place, truly living up to its name ‘the Magic City.’ Henry (Wynne) won last time and now Jordan.”
Scott led the triple jump through all six rounds of competition, recording his best jump in the third round. His jump of 16.89m (55’5”) set a Birmingham CrossPlex record. He was the only competitor to reach 55 feet in the event, clearing the mark twice in the series.
With Scott’s win the Cavaliers have won a combined five NCAA indoor and outdoor titles since 2016.
FSU Men Tie For Sixth
In a performance reminiscent of the Florida State track & field teams that posted five, top-five NCAA Indoor Championship finishes between 2006 and 2011, the 10th-ranked Seminole men rose up to grab a share of sixth place Saturday at the CrossPlex.
The Noles scored 24 points on the way to their best finish since placing fourth in 2014 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. By sharing sixth place with top-ranked Texas Tech, FSU authored the seventh-best finish in program history with their eighth-highest point total at the meet.
Kasaun James grabbed silver in the 200-meter dash and Trey Cunningham was the 60-meter hurdles bronze medalist, leading the way, but all four men competing over five events on the final day turned in scoring performances. The five first-team All-American performances are the most since the third-place 2009 team collected six.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our men,” FSU coach Bob Braman said. “Only Trey had ever scored before at an NCAA Championship and they handled the pressure brilliantly.”
Silver For Forrest
Louisville’s Makenli Forrest threw a personal-best 22.54m/73-11.50 in the final round of the women’s weight throw to clinch second place and first-team All-American accolades. She is now a two-time All-American after earning second-team honors in 2018. Sade Olatoye of Ohio State won the event with a mark of 24.46m/80-03.
Forrest's previous best of 22.18m/72-09.25 set at the Hoosier Hills Invitational ranked her eighth in the NCAA heading in to the competition. She won the weight throw four times this season, finishing in the top four of all six meets. She earned second team All-ACC honors after finishing fourth at the ACC Championships with a throw of 20.71m/67-11.50.
Bronze For Heppenstall, Seymour
Lined up against top competition, Wake Forest’s
Robert Heppenstall finished third in the men's 800m final on Saturday night. With a time of 1:47.45, he earned first team All-America honors for the seventh time in his collegiate career (indoor/outdoor).
Heppenstall bested his previous school record of most indoor All-America honors, earning his fourth selection and finished third in the event for the second consecutive season. Despite being the lone representative for Wake Forest in Birmingham, the senior leader declares he doesn't only compete for himself and has other goals in mind.
"I'm running to put Wake Forest on the map," he said. "I want my accomplishments to fuel my teammates to never give up on making an NCAA meet. With the right attitude and right people around you, anything is possible."
On the women’s side, sophomore Ka’Tia Seymour, the lone finalist for the Florida women on Saturday, rose to the occasion in the 60-meter final. Bursting from the blocks the Palatka, Fla. native held the lead late and ran through the line in a lifetime-best 7.19 to finish third.
“I’m very proud of it,” Seymour said of her continuing improvement out of the blocks. “It’s been a long, long time. I’ve never had a start and I’m very excited I have one now.”
(Information courtesy of ACC schools' Sports Information Offices)