June 14, 2008

Clemson's Padgett National Runner-Up in 100m Dash at NCAA Outdoor Championships

DES MOINES, Iowa - Travis Padgett was runner-up in the 100m dash final Friday evening to highlight Clemson's efforts at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Fellow sprinter Jacoby Ford finished fifth, giving the Tiger program two All-Americans in the event. Clemson has now had at least one All-American in each of Bob Pollock's 20 seasons with the men's track & field program.

Padgett did not have his best start Friday, as he was in fifth place coming out of his drive phase. However, a strong middle portion of the race allowed him to make up the ground necessary to earn the runner-up finish.

His year-by-year progression continued again in 2008. As a freshman, he placed fourth at nationals in the 100m. Last season, he brought home a third-place finish. He was second place at this year's meet after running a time of 10.16 into a slight headwind.

Clemson's Mamona Qualifies for Triple Jump Final at NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships

DES MOINES, Iowa - Clemson sophomore Patricia Mamona advanced to Saturday's final after the ninth-best effort in the triple jump prelims Friday at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The triple jump finals will begin at 3:00 PM (CST).

Mamona has advanced to the finals for the second straight year at outdoor nationals. Last season, she placed 11th in the final round in her first-ever NCAA championship experience.

The native of Lisbon, Portugal did not look like she was destined for the final after two shorter jumps in her first two attempts. However, as she has done so often early in her career, Mamona came through in the clutch with a big jump on her final attempt. She jumped 43'4.5" on the third and final attempt to earn the qualification into the finals. Mamona ranks second in Clemson history in the triple jump, trailing only former All-American Gisele Oliveira (2002-05).

Duke's Austin Earns All-America Honors With Eighth-Place Finish In The Javelin

DES MOINES, Iowa - Redshirt freshman John Austin placed eighth in the javelin finals with a distance of 216'-10" at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Drake Stadium. By finishing in the top eight of the 12 finalists, Austin earned automatic All-America status, becoming the first male Blue Devil to do so since Brent Warner in the pole vault in 2003.

Austin capped off an amazing first full season at Duke with his performance at the NCAA Championships. His personal best of 225'-5" that came at the NCAA East Regional on May 30 is the Duke record in the event.

FSU Men In First With One Day Left At NCAA Track & Field Championships

DES MOINES, Iowa - Florida State closed the evening at Drake Stadium up one point on LSU for first place at the NCAA Track & Field Championships. In day three of action in Des Moines, Iowa, the Seminoles picked up six All-American titles to bring the team's tally of honors at this meet to eight.

"We're in a pretty good position," said head coach Bob Braman. "We'll have four guys tomorrow to LSU's two and to Auburn's two. Normally the numbers don't mean anything, but when the names are Dix, Clark, Brunson and Taylor, you've got four national champions. We're in a good position, but we have to get to 52 points tomorrow."

Silence befell Drake Stadium in the seconds before the men's 4x100m relay as Florida State's 15-time All-American and seven-time national champion Walter Dix slid into place as the lead-off runner in lane one.

Georgia Tech's Moss, Lemons Reach Finals on Day Three of NCAA Championships

DES MOINES, Iowa - With the Des Moines River threatening to spill over the levees into downtown Des Moines, residents were asked to evacuate but the weather did not threaten the third day of the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Drake Stadium.

Senior Shantia Moss finished with the second-fastest time of the day in the women's 100-meter hurdles crossing the line with a time of 12.99. Moss will compete for her first 100m hurdles national championship Saturday at 3:53 p.m. CT.

In the men's triple jump, senior James Lemons II sits in 10th place after the prelims with a best mark of 51 feet, 11 ¾ inches. Lemons will compete in Saturday's final beginning at 1 p.m. CT. Sophomore Alphonso Jordan placed 14th in the triple jump with a mark of 51 feet, 5 ½ inches. Jordan missed the final cut by two spots.

Miami Trio Earns All-American Status At NCAA National Championships

DES MOINES, Iowa - The No. 14 ranked University of Miami women's track and field team wrapped up their 2008 season with All-American performances from senior Khadija Talley and freshmen Ti'erra Brown and Takecia Jameson.

Jameson and Brown have been ranked in the top-ten all season in the 400-meter hurdles and on Friday night, they were rewarded, as both earned All-American status in just their first collegiate season.

Jameson finished third in the final heat with a time of 56.75, her second-best mark of the season, while Brown placed eighth at 58.47.

For only the fifth time in school history have two women in the same event, earned All-American honors.

North Carolina's James, Nall Shine On Day Three Of NCAAs

DES MOINES, Iowa - LaToya James finished fourth in the 400-meter hurdles final and Donte Nall placed fifth in the high jump to pace the Tar Heels on the third day of the NCAA National Championships in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday. Freshman Austin Davis will be in action on Saturday as he competes in the triple jump finals before Brie Felnagle closes out the Tar Heels' 2008 season in the 1500-meter run.

Nall put the Tar Heel men on the scoreboard on Friday clearing 7-1.5 in the high jump final to place fifth and earn four points in the process. As a result of the fifth-place finish Nall garnered the first All-America honors of his young career.

Fellow high jumper Patience Coleman also garnered her first All-America honors on Friday as she finished ninth in the women's high jump final. Coleman cruised over 5-9.75 in her first attempt at the height but was unable to get over 5-10.75 in her final three attempts.

NC State's Furst and Vegh Wrap Up NCAA Championship Competition

DES MOINES, Iowa - NC State seniors Tibor Vegh and Stephen Furst went out on top with strong finishes in the finals of their events on the final day of competition at the NCAA Outdoor Championship. Furst finished 10th in the 5,000m while Vegh was 11th in the steeplechase.

Furst ran a 13:49.87, just less than seven tenths off of his top time of his career set earlier this season, and a time that ranks in the top-4 all-time at NC State in the event.

He finished off a standout senior year in which he won the ACC Outdoor Championships in the 5,000m and 10,000m in addition to the 5,000m crown at the prestigious Penn Relays. Add in his 10th place finish at the NCAA Championships and his senior year was a resounding success.

Virginia's Ayeni and Grant Earn All-America Honors in Discus

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Junior Yemi Ayeni and senior Billie-Jo Grant wrapped up their 2008 seasons earning All-America honors in the discus on Friday at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. Ayeni took second in the men's discus with a throw of 59.50m, while Grant finished eighth in the women's competition with at mark of 50.26m.

"Yemi responded well in the finals," head coach Randy Bungard said. "Yemi's first throw was a big one that he took the lead with. He had two throws after that, both over the 59-meter mark, but Kentucky ended up with one throw that happened to be better than Yemi's. But, Yemi competed well and we're extremely proud of the way that he worked through the championships.

"We're really proud of Billie-Jo's performance, as well. She was mentally prepared for the championships and has managed to fight through a season-long injury that has held her back from the marks she would have liked. Although she didn't hit the marks she wanted, she still fought hard and came up with some big throws, and we're extremely proud of her for that."

Virginia Tech's Olhovsky Ties for Second at NCAAs

DES MOINES, Iowa - Sophomore pole vaulter Yavjeniy Olhovsky tied for second place in the final section of the men's pole vault to lead the Virginia Tech Track & Field team on the third day of competition at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Friday in Drake Stadium. Five other Hokies claimed All-America recognition in four different events.

Tech's men's team sits in 17th place with a total of 10.33 points through 13 events scored, and the women's team is currently in an 18th-place tie with a total of eight points through 11 events scored.

Olhovsky earned All-America honors for the second time in his career after clearing 17'2.75" (5.25m) on his first attempt at that height of the day. Olhovsky cleared an identical height in Wednesday's qualifying round to reach the final and also tied for second place in the NCAA East Regional with a height of 17'5" (5.31m) to tie for second place. After clearing the first two heights of the event on his first attempt, Olhovsky could not convert on three tries at 17'6.5" (5.35m). Olhvosky earned the Hokies' first 6.33 points for the Hokie men's team in the meet.