No. 1 UA women just off pace
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ top-ranked women’s track and field team capped a solid first day at the NCAA Indoor Championships on Friday with a Randal Tyson Track Center record in the distance medley relay and put itself in position to compete for its first NCAA championship today.
The Razorbacks’ team of Jessica Kamilos, Sparkle McKnight, Therese Haiss and Dominique Scott won the distance medley in 10:51.89, a venue record, in front of a crowd of 2,448 to push into a tie with Baylor for third place with 13 points.
Georgia leads after the first day of competition with 14 points, and Oregon is second with 13.5.
“We are ahead of schedule,” Arkansas Coach Lance Harter said moments after the DMR victory. “The whole point of the distance medley relay is to get your anchor runner a chance. We got off to a good start, ran strong on the second leg, and Dominique did a great job in finishing it up.”
Scott, who is also the top qualifier in the 3,000 meters, took the baton in second place but sprinted by Stanford anchor Elise Cranny with a couple of laps to go and pulled away for the victory.
“I knew we had a great chance to win, and we were confident,” Scott said. “Everybody came out and ran a great race. Any time you can get 10 big points you have to feel good about it.”
Arkansas’ other points came from Diane Robison’s seventh-place finish in the 5,000 meters, and Tamara Myers’ eighth-place showing in the long jump.
The Razorbacks have five qualifiers in place today and three athletes in the pole vault, led by Sandi Morris, who is expected to battle with Stephen F. Austin record-holder Demi Payne for the title.
Arkansas junior Taylor Ellis-Watson qualified second in the 400 meters (51.97) behind Texas’ Courtney Okolo (51.89), while Chrishuna Williams had the fourth-fastest 800-meter qualifying time (2:06.41).
Georgia was boosted by high jump winner Leontia Kallenou, while Oregon’s Jenna Prandini won the long jump and qualified in the 60 and 200 meters.
“The day has gone as good as I could ask for,” Prandini said. “I feel great right now. Go back to the trainers and coaches and work out any soreness, aches and pains. I’m ready to step out tomorrow.”
On the men’s side, No. 1 Florida started strong as expected and No. 2 Oregon closed well to set up what is expected to be a tight finish today.
The Arkansas men had 23 points to finish Friday in second place behind Oregon, which won the distance medley relay in 9:30.53 to push its total to 32 points. Florida is third with 16 points, followed by Akron and Wisconsin with 10 each.
The Oregon men racked up 18 points in the 5,000 meters, with Eric Jenkins winning in 13:48.36, followed by Arkansas’ Kemoy Campbell (13:49.55). The Ducks’ Parker Stinson was third (13:52.79) and Will Geoghegan came in seventh (13:56.11).
Arkansas’ Omar McLeod, the defending 60-meter hurdles champion, led all qualifiers with a 7.55.
“He ran under control and did what we asked him to do, to run clean and get himself in the final,” Arkansas sprints coach Doug Case said.
“All you have to do is get to the final,” Arkansas Coach Chris Bucknam said. “I think there’s more in the tank for tomorrow.”
The Arkansas men got eight points from Jarrion Lawson’s second-place finish in the long jump and six from Andrew Irwin, who was third in the pole vault.
Irwin hurt his hamstring during warm-ups but managed to clear 18-0 ½, although he could not keep pace with Akron’s Shawn Barber, who set a college record 19-4¾, and Tennessee’s Jake Blankenship.
“I’m really pleased he fought through that and got third because that was big team points,” Case said. “He had potential to win, but you take what you can get sometimes. … When you’re hurt and can’t run full speed and finish third at the NCAA meet, that’s a great effort.”
Florida’s Marquis Dendy, the 2013 indoor long jump champion, took the title again with a 27-2 leap, the best jump by an American this season and the seventh-best indoor jump in history.
Dendy, who competed with a torn labrum last season, gave the Gators 10 points and has a chance to add to it in the triple jump today.
“I told these guys in the beginning, I want to make up for all the times I didn’t score, all the times I personally felt like I let y’all down,” Dendy said. “It feels good to win, but I’ve got to come back tomorrow and hit with an even tougher triple jump lineup.”
Lawson said he was happy with his finish, a 27-1¾ on his final jump.
“This was my first time all season going six jumps,” Lawson said. “Even though I didn’t come out with the win, I felt like I clutched up at the end and did what I needed to do.”