EUGENE, Ore. – The Western Athletic Conference had three individuals score at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., June 9-12. Hawai‘i’s Amber Kaufman earned a national title and All-America honors in the women’s high jump, Boise State’s Pontus Thomee placed second in the men’s javelin to claim All-America status, and Utah State’s Clint Silcock earned All-America honors in the men’s high jump.
Hawai‘i junior Amber Kaufman cleared 1.86 meters (6 feet, 1.25 inches) in the women’s high jump to become the Rainbow Wahine’s first track and field national champion in 26 years. Kaufman, who is also an All-American in volleyball, has earned a total of five All-American honors in the event, including four top-five finishes.
For the men, Boise State junior Pontus Thomee unleashed a career-best throw of 73.60m (241-06) to place second in the men’s javelin. It is Thomee’s second career All-American honor in the event. Utah State junior Clint Silcock cleared 2.17m (7-01.50) in the men’s high jump to place ninth and finish among the top eight American finishers in the event. It is Silcock’s second career All-American honor, as he also earned All-America accolades at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships.
Overall, 22 WAC student-athletes participated in the championship. Boise State senior Zacharias Arnos finished 11th in the men’s triple jump with a mark of 15.71m (51-06.50 inches), earning his highest career finish at the outdoor championship. Bronco junior Kurt Felix placed 13th in the decathlon, tallying 7,275 points in the event.
Fresno State junior Rosario Sanchez earned 13th place in the women’s shot put with a personal record toss of 16.09m (52-09.50). It is the best finish at the national championships in her Bulldog career.
Idaho sophomore Jeremy Klas cleared 5.00m (16-04.75) in the men’s pole vault for a 16th-place finish. Vandal seniors Beau Whitney and James Rogan placed 19th and 22nd in the men’s hammer throw with marks of 61.37m (201-04) and 59.12 (193-11), respectively. Idaho junior Eugenio Mannucci placed 21st in the men’s shot put with a toss of 17.31m (56-09.50). Vandal sophomore Gabby Midles took 13th place in the women’s hammer throw with a mark of 56.42m (185-01). Midles was the first Vandal woman to compete in the event in school history. Idaho senior Mykael Bothum finished 19th in the women’s shot put with a throw of 15.65m (51-04.25) at her first career outdoor championship meet. Vandal Junior Ulrike Hartz had to withdraw from competition in the heptathlon due to injury. After running a season-best 13.95 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles, Hartz injured her foot during an approach in the high jump.
Louisiana Tech senior Albert Fullwood ran the men’s 400-meter dash in 47.08 for a 19th-place finish. Bulldog junior Larry Jones placed 22nd in the men’s javelin with a throw of 49.49m (162-08). LA Tech junior Billy Ray Walker finished 17th in the men’s 110m hurdles with a time of 13.99. Walker has run a sub-14-second time only three times in his career with all three coming at the 2010 NCAA Championship series. Lady Techster senior Kamelia Stroy placed 18th in the women’s 400m dash, crossing the line in 54.65. Stroy was the only athlete from the state of Louisiana to advance to the national semifinals in the event. Louisiana Tech’s women’s 4x400-meter relay team of seniors Stroy, Antoinette Cobb, Lashannda Worthy and sophomore Monique Wright finished 15th with a time of 3:39.77. Lady Techster junior Tiana Davis recorded a 24th-place finish in the women’s long jump with a leap of 4.62m (15-02.00).
Utah State senior Nick Karren placed 16th in the men’s 400m hurdles with a time of 51.36. Karren’s 16th-place finish matches the top place of his career, as he was a three-time NCAA Championships participant.
For team scores, Boise State’s men finished with eight points to tie for 33rd place with Middle Tennessee, Oklahoma State and Washington State. The Hawai‘i Rainbow Wahine scored ten points to tie for 26th place with Georgia, Hampton, and Tennessee, just one place shy of Hawai‘i’s best finish at the championship (also scoring 10 points) in 2008.
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