March 12, 2011
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Freshman Shanieka Thomas finished in ninth place in the triple jump at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships Saturday at Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium in College Station, Texas.
Thomas, who was ranked in a tie for 16th coming into the meet, jumped 42 feet, 7 inches to take ninth of 17 competitors. Thomas, one of just two freshmen who qualified for the triple jump, missed eighth place (final scorer) by just 1.75 inches. The jump of 42-7 is the third-best indoor mark in school history.
Thomas went 42-4.75, 42-7 and 40-7 in the preliminaries to qualify for the finals, before going 42-4, 42-6.25 and 42-6.25 over the final three jumps.
Kimberly Williams of Florida won the event with a leap of 45-9.75.
Thomas and the rest of the SDSU track and field team plays host to the three-day Aztec Invitational, beginning on March 17.
NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships
Gilliam Indoor Track and Field Stadium
College Station, Texas
Team Results (Top five and SDSU only)
1. Oregon - 67.00
2. Texas - 38.00
3. LSU - 37.00
4. Arkansas - 35.00
5. Texas A&M - 32.00
T-64. San Diego State - 0.00
Triple Jump (Top 10 of 17 only)
1. Kimberly Williams, Sr. (Florida) - 45-9.75
2. April Sinkler, Sr. (Clemson) - 44-2.00
3. Chantel Malone, Sr. (Texas) - 44-1.50
4. Ganna Demydova, Jr. (Southern Mississippi) - 43-6.50
5. Whitney Liehr, Sr. (Stanford) - 43-6.00
6. Jessica Ubanyionwu, Jr. (Baylor) - 43-5.75
7. Melissa Obgourne, Sr. (LSU) - 43-1.00
8. Andrea Geubelle, So. (Kansas) - 42-8.75
9. Shanieka Thomas, Fr. (San Diego State) - 42-7.00
10. Colleen Felix, Jr. (Georgia) - 42-0.00