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ORLANDO, Fla. - The first day of competition in the 2016 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships came to a close late Thursday night at the UCF Soccer and Track Stadium in Orlando, Fla., with the University of Cincinnati positioning itself nicely in the team race on the strength of several strong performances. Annette Echikunwoke led the charge as she won the hammer throw while the men earned points in the same event, as well as a solid outing in the 10,000m run final.
In the team standings, the women are currently tied for second place with SMU as both squads collected 13 points in the first two event finals of the meet while host UCF holds the lead with 24 points. UConn (12) and East Carolina (eight) round out the Top 5. On the men's side, the Bearcats sit third with 11 points while Tulsa (23) and UConn (21) are the Top 2 in the standings. USF (10) and Tulane (six) round out the Top 5.
// WOMEN'S RESULTS
- The day opened the best way possible for the Bearcats in the hammer throw as Echikunwoke blasted her own school record with a winning mark of 61.40m (201-05), bettering her previous record of 60.38m, with her fifth-round toss to lead a 1-6-9 finish in the finals. With that toss, she not only reset the school record, but also broke the meet record to earn all-conference accolades and move into the national Top 20. Entering the meet, the Bearcats had just one thrower in the Top 8 with Echikunwoke at No. 2, followed by Monica Phillips (No. 9) and Leah Heckaman (No. 14); all three women bettered those expectations with Phillips placing sixth overall in 55.30m (181-05) and Heckaman jumping all the way up into the finals to finish ninth at 51.34m (168-05). Nicole Breeden also competed in the event, placing 14th at 49.74m (163-02). All told, UC tallied 13 team points in the event which is ahead of the event's original projection of eight.
- The hammer win for Echikunwoke was the third in program history for the UC women following Miriam Merrill and Jo Young.
- The only other final contested on the day was the women's 10,000m run with Juliana Madzia placing 12th overall in 37:39.13. Her time bettered her previous best by over 13 seconds while also adding her name to the school's all-time Top 10 list at No. 10.
- The first of two days of competition in the heptathlon came to a close with Maggie Loeffler collecting 2,679 points to sit in sixth while rookie Naomi Urbano stands seventh with 2,648 points with both point totals going down as first-day PR's for both women. Individually, Urbano collected three event PR's, including the 100m hurdles (15.99), the high jump (1.63m/5-04.25) and the 200m dash (28.09) with her high jump clearance also tying for the seventh-best heptathlon mark in UC history. Loeffler also posted a trio of PR's of her own, including improvements in the 100m hurdles (15.60), the high jump (1.60m/5-03.00) and the shot put (9.47m/31-01.00).
// MEN'S RESULTS
- Similar to the women, the hammer provided a strong opening start to the championships for the men as Josh Province led the charge by finishing third overall with a toss of 56.34m (184-10) to earn all-conference honors and collect six team points. That toss was his third-best of the season and vaulted him up three positions from where he entered the meet (No. 6). Freshman John Zedella also competed in the event, placing 12th overall in 47.17m (154-09).
- The night ended with a very competitive 10,000m run that featured four Bearcats starting the race while two fought their way into the Top 8 to collect team points with Kevin Fink leading the charge by placing fifth overall. Having not run the event yet this season, Fink was not on the descending order list and became a true wild card as he battled throughout to clock-in at 31:22.53 to better his PR by 11 seconds and earn four team points. Greg Sanders also scored for the team as he clawed his way back from 13th to pass several individuals and finish eighth in 32:03.76 to secure the final team point of the day. Jacob Franklin also competed in the race, placing 10th overall in 32:52.89.
- The first day of competition in the decathlon came to a close with a pair of Bearcats sitting in the Top 5 of the standings, including Alex Bloom, who is third, and Ben Wollenslegel, who is fifth. Bloom scored 3,627 points through the first five events to set a PR and also record the seventh-best first day total in program history while Wollenslegel tallied 3,292 points. Bloom achieved his career-best first day score on the strength of three PR's, including his 2.05m (6-08.75) clearance in the high jump, which ranks second all-time in UC decathlon history. He also posted bests in the long jump at 6.78m (22-03.00), which ranks eighth among the decathlon charts at UC while also bettering his shot put mark to 11.76m (38-07.00). Wollenslegel also tallied a trio of PR's on the day, including the long jump (6.43m/21-01.25), shot put (10.85m/35-07.25) and the 400m dash (51.21).
The second of four days of competition will take place Friday with five champions set to be crowned, including the victors in the decathlon, heptathlon, men's discus, women's discus and women's pole vault. On the track, the preliminary rounds of a trio of events will be held, including the 800m run, the 400m hurdles and the 200m dash.
Women's Results
The American Outdoor Championships (5/12/16) - Day 1
10,000m Run - FINAL
12. Juliana Madzia - 37:39.13 - PR & UC #10
Hammer Throw - FINAL
1. Annette Echikunwoke - 61.40m (201-05) - CHAMPION - All-Conference - Meet Record - PR & UC RECORD - 10 team points
6. Monica Phillips - 55.30m (181-05) - 3 team points
9. Leah Heckaman - 51.34m (168-05)
14. Nicole Breeden - 49.74m (163-02)
Heptathlon - Scores after Day 1 (4 events)
6. Maggie Loeffler - 2,679 points - PR
7. Naomi Urbano - 2,648 points - PR
HEP 1 - 100m Hurdles
6. Maggie Loeffler - 15.60 [764 pts] - PR
8. Naomi Urbano - 15.99 [715 pts] - PR
HEP 2 - High Jump
3. Naomi Urbano - 1.63m (5-04.25)[771 pts] - PR & UC-Hep #7(tie)
4. Maggie Loeffler - 1.60m (5-03.00)[736 pts] - PR
HEP 3 - Shot Put
4. Naomi Urbano - 10.13m (33-03.00)[538 pts]
7. Maggie Loeffler - 9.47m (31-01.00)[495 pts] - PR
HEP 4 - 200m Dash
7. Maggie Loeffler - 27.34 [684 pts]
8. Naomi Urbano - 28.09 [624 pts] - PR
Team Scores (through 2 events)
1. UCF - 24
2. Cincinnati - 13
2. SMU - 13
4. UConn - 12
5. East Carolina - 8
6. USF - 4
7. Houston - 2
8. Tulsa - 1
8. Tulane - 1
Men's Results
The American Outdoor Championships (5/12/16) - Day 1
10,000m Run - FINAL
5. Kevin Fink - 31:22.53 - PR - 4 team points
8. Greg Sanders - 32:02.76 - 1 team point
10. Jacob Franklin - 32:52.89
- Toby Loveridge - did not finish
Hammer Throw - FINAL
3. Josh Province - 56.34m (184-10) - All-Conference - 6 team points
12. John Zedella - 47.17m (154-09)
Decathlon - Scores after Day 1 (5 events)
3. Alex Bloom - 3,627 points - PR & UC-Dec #7
5. Ben Wollenslegel - 3,292 points
DEC 1 - 100m Dash
5. Alex Bloom - 11.56 [740 pts]
6. Ben Wollenslegel - 11.74 [703 pts]
DEC 2 - Long Jump
3. Alex Bloom - 6.78m (22-03.00)[762 pts] - DecPR & UC-Dec #8
4. Ben Wollenslegel - 6.43m (21-01.25)[682 pts] - PR
DEC 3 - Shot Put
5. Alex Bloom - 11.76m (38-07.00)[592 pts] - PR
8. Ben Wollenslegel - 10.85m (35-07.25)[537 pts] - PR
DEC 4 - High Jump
1. Alex Bloom - 2.05m (6-08.75)[850 pts] - PR & UC-Dec #2
t-6. Ben Wollenslegel - 1.78m (5-10.00)[610 pts]
DEC 5 - 400m Dash
3. Ben Wollenslegel - 51.21 [760 pts] - PR
7. Alex Bloom - 52.97 [683 pts]
Team Scores (through 2 events)
1. Tulsa - 23
2. UConn - 21
3. Cincinnati - 11
4. USF - 10
5. Tulane - 6
6. Houston - 4
7. Memphis - 3