June 13, 2014
EUGENE, Ore. -
Shanieka Thomas won her third NCAA title in the triple jump, while Allison Reaser finished runner-up in the heptathlon to pace No. 16 San Diego State at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships Friday in Eugene, Ore.
Thomas, who also won the triple jump at the 2014 indoor meet and 2013 outdoor meet, and was runner-up the previous two championships (2013 indoor, 2012 outdoor), captured another NCAA title with a leap of 45 feet, 11 ¼ inches (14.00 meters).
Thomas, who led start to finish, went 44-04.75 (13.53m), 43-04.25 (13.21m) and 44-04.75 (13.53m) again in the first flight to earn the top seed in the finals. In the finals, she posted marks of 45-04.50 (13.83m), 45-11.25 (14.00m) and 44-08.25 (13.62m).
"I'm beyond happy, and grateful to God and everyone who aided in one way or another in helping me defend my title," Thomas said. "It's been a tough year, battling injuries and adjusting to changes, but I am happy that I was able to compete and do as well as I did so that I can put myself in a position to be competitive at the world stage. I also wanted to make my family, friends, supporters, well-wishers and my entire SDSU family proud."
"Shanieka is a next-level athlete," Aztec head coach Shelia Burrell said. "She gets all the credit for this win because she really did go out there and win her last championship as an Aztec on her own. I'm grateful to witness her development and success as a collegiate athlete. I'm looking forward to her develop even more and become a presence at the international level. Shanieka is a special athlete and deserves all the accolades of a three-time NCAA champion."
It is the seventh individual national title for the Aztecs. An SDSU athlete has now won an individual title at four of the past five NCAA Championships (the three straight for Thomas and Whitney Ashley in 2012 outdoor discus throw). Each of the past four individual titles for San Diego State has come since Burrell took over the program in 2009.
Reaser, meanwhile, capped an extraordinary comeback in the heptathlon by winning the 800-meter run, the event's final competition, to finish second with 5,836 points. The 5,836 points broke her own Mountain West and school record and was just 18 points shy of the winner Kendell Williams (5,854) of Georgia. Reaser's win in the 800 helped her edge past Florida's Brittany Harrell by a single point (5,835) and secure the runner-up finish.
"I was only focused on what I was capable of doing," Reaser said. "I was competing against the scoreboard and just trying to do great in my good events and do what I was supposed to do in the other events. I just wanted to compete."
"I couldn't be more proud of Allison," Burrell said. "I felt like I was running the 800 with her! She steps up every time in big meets when the pressure is on. That's the mark of a champion no matter the result. This is a great way to end her collegiate year. She is an Aztec for life."
After two events yesterday, Reaser was in 13th place out of the 24 entrants. The senior then slowly moved up to fifth after four events and the first of the two-day competition. Today, Reaser opened in the long jump with a third-place leap of 19-09.00 (6.02m), which got her into the top four. Next up was the javelin throw, where she came in 11th with a season-best toss of 129-08 (39.52m). The mark moved her into third heading into the 800. In the two-lap race, Reaser closed hard to win in 2:12.08, which matched her PR, and clinch the second-place finish and eight points for the team.
"I knew I was the strongest 800 runner, I just had to put it all together," Reaser said. "I took (the first lap) out in second and gained ground the final 100. I gave it all I had. I'm an Aztec, a warrior and fighter, and I wasn't going to give up.
"Silver ended up being the theme of my season this year. I was second at (the indoor MW pentathlon) and at the (outdoor MW heptathlon), but I'd rather be second at the NCAA Championships any day than win one of those meets."
"Today was awesome," Burrell said. "San Diego State put on a great show for the country in both the heptathlon and triple jump. Allison and Shanieka are two driven competitors."
Kristen Brown also competed on Friday, taking 16th in the pole vault with a mark of 13-03.50 (4.05m). Brown, who had the 18th-best height coming into the weekend, beat out eight other entrants in the event.
With 13 of the 21 events completed, San Diego State is in a four-way tie for seventh place with 18 points. Oregon leads the meet with 43 points, followed by Texas A&M (41), Florida (29) and Texas (29), and Georgia (25).
The four-day NCAA Championship meet wraps up Saturday in Eugene. A release posted to GoAztecs.com for SDSU's final team placing.
2014 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Hayward Field - Eugene, Ore. (Univ. of Oregon)
June 13, 2014 - Day Three of Four
Team Results (after 13 of 21 events)
1. Oregon - 43
2. Texas A&M - 41
3t. Florida - 29
3t. Texas - 29
5. Georgia - 25
------------------------------------
7t. San Diego State - 18
7t. Boise State - 18
7t. Kentucky - 18
7t. LSU - 18
Individual Results
Pole Vault (out of 24 entrants)
1. Annika Roloff (Akron) - 14-05.25 (4.40m)
16. Kristen Brown (SDSU) - 13-03.50 (4.05m)
Triple Jump (out of 24 entrants)
1. Shanieka Thomas (SDSU) - 45-11.25 (14.00m)
Heptathlon (after 7 of 7 events) (out of 24 entrants)
1. Kendell Williams (Georgia) - 5,854
2. Allison Reaser (SDSU) - 5,836 (MW/school record)
--. Nicole Oudenaarden (SDSU) - DNF