11 All-America honors for women's track
FAYETTEVILLE – In the team race at the NCAA Indoor Championships, the Arkansas Razorbacks finished tied for 15th with 15.5 points. The Razorbacks ended the weekend with 11 All-America honors in five events from eight student-athletes.
Oregon won the team title with 61 points, Tennessee was second with 36 points and LSU was third with 35 points.
"Stephanie Brown was definitely a highlight today and this weekend," head coach Lance Harter said. "She ran some great races and put herself in good position. We had some things that didn’t go as well as we had planned but those things happen. Now it’s on to the outdoor season and we are excited about this team. We are a rare mix of experience and youth that has worked really well for us during indoor and we’re excited as a staff to take these kids outdoors and see what they can do."
Junior Shelise Williams picked up two All-America honors to push her career total to four. She finished eighth in the 400 meters (53.23) and third as the second leg of the 4×400-meter relay. The quartet of junior Edina Brooks, Williams, sophomore Whitney Jones and freshman Regina George earned a bronze finish in the 4×400-meter relay with a time of 3:33.83. Brooks earned her first All-America honor in an Arkansas uniform, Jones her third certificate and George her second All-America honor.
Freshman Stephanie Brown scored points for the Razorbacks in the 800 meters. In her first NCAA final, she finished sixth in the 800 meters with a time of 2:05.11. She earned her first All-America honor.
"My goal coming into the season was to qualify for nationals," Brown said. "When I did that, I made a goal to make it to the final. I’m happy with my races this weekend. It’s definitely exciting to be an All-American as a freshman."
In the pole vault, senior Katie Stripling finished tied for fifth with a clearance of 14-1.25. She earned the fourth All-American honor of her career and her second indoors. Sophomore Tina Sutej finished 11th with a height of 13-11.25.
"I always want to do better but I’m happy with my consistency this season," Stripling said. "I definitely want to jump higher and this was a great field to compete with. Being an All-American and scoring points for the team is always a goal."
ESPN2 will air a 90-minute show at 12:30 p.m. CST, Wed., March 17.
Arkansas at the NCAA Indoor Championships
Shelise Williams, 400 meters, eighth, 53.23
Stephanie Brown, 800 meters, sixth, 2:05.11
Edina Brooks, Shelise Williams, Whitney Jones, Regina George, 4×400-meter relay, third, 3:33.83
Samantha Learch, Whitney Jones, Regina George, Kristen Gillespie, distance medley relay, 11:16.27
Katie Stripling, pole vault, tied for fifth, 14-1.25
Tina Sutej, pole vault, 11th, 13-11.25
Download: d1indoor_results.pdf
