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EUGENE, Ore. - Annette Echikunwoke placed eighth overall and Kenya Woodall scored a Top 12 finish on the track as the Bearcats duo both earned All-America honors on the second day of competition at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., Thursday afternoon. The University of Cincinnati sent three women into competition today at the national meet being conducted at Hayward Field on the Oregon campus.
Echikunwoke opened the day competing in the hammer throw, which was the first final of the meet for the women. The sophomore, who entered her first career NCAA outdoor meet ranked 15th overall, stepped into the ring and, on her first attempt, launched the ball to 62.00m (203-04), moving her into the Top 6 overall in the event and breaking her own school record of 61.40m (201-05), which gave her the American Athletic Conference title one month ago. In Round Two, Echikunwoke followed up with a slight improvement, hitting a mark of 62.01m (203-05) to better her school record once again.
After making the finals ranked eighth overall, she was unable to produce an improved mark over her two school-record tosses and finished eighth overall to not only score one team point, but also garner USTFCCCA All-America First Team honors. With her top mark of the day, she also increased her overall PR footage compared to last year. Echikunwoke started the season with a PR of 163' 4" and ends the year at 203' 5", giving her an increase in distance from 2015 to 2016 of 40' 1".
The first Bearcat (man or woman) to earn All-America status in the event, Echikunwoke also added some other historical notes to her showing in Eugene, including:
• posted the highest finish in UC history in a throwing event (Emelie Larsson, javelin, 17th in 2012)
• became only the fifth UC woman to earn outdoor All-America honors
• became the second UC woman (and fourth Bearcat ever) to earn All-America honors in the same/similar event indoors and outdoors in the same season after she finished eighth indoors in the weight throw
On the track, Woodall competed in the semifinal round of the 400m dash, running 52.68 and placing fifth in the second of three heats. Overall, her time ranked her 11th and eliminated her from the meet as only the Top 8 (first two finishers in each heat and the next two fastest times) advanced to the Saturday final. Regardless of her placement, Woodall earned her first outdoor All-America honor (second team) while bettering her finish from 2015 when she placed 17th. Overall, Woodall's placement is the best among sprint/hurdle events in UC women's history, placing a nice cap on a brilliant four-year career in which she set six individual school records and had a hand in a pair of relays, making her one of the fastest women to ever represent the Bearcats.
Back in the field, senior Alyssa McBride saw her UC career come to a close, although not the way she had hoped, as she was unable to clear the opening bar of the pole vault competition. Despite the finish, McBride certainly made her senior campaign memorable as she posted her highest finishes ever at the conference championships, including third indoor and runner-up outdoor this year, while also rising to No. 2 on both the indoor and outdoor record lists at UC. After advancing to her first national meet, McBride will now set her sights on post-collegiate studies and the potential to continue to compete in the pole vault.
Following the conclusion of Thursday's events, six of 21 events have been scored with UC's one point placing it in a tie for 33rd with Akron, Boise State, Harvard, Missouri and Texas. Arkansas' 26 points give it the early lead with Texas A&M (16), Georgia (13), Oklahoma (12) and Florida (11) rounding out the Top 5 in the team standings. All remaining scored events will take place Saturday to determine the team title.
Friday will be an off day for the Bearcats as no men remain in the competition. On Saturday, the duo of Loretta Blaut and Erika Hurd will both compete in the high jump, which is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. local (6:00 p.m. ET). Upon completion of the meet Saturday, the 2016 collegiate track and field season will come to a close.
2016 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships - Day 2 (6/9/16)
400m Dash - Semifinal
11. Kenya Woodall - 52.68 - does not advance
USTFCCCA All-America Second Team
Pole Vault - FINAL
-- Alyssa McBride - no height
Hammer - FINAL
8. Annette Echikunwoke - 62.01m (203-05)
PR & UC RECORD - 1 team point - USTFCCCA All-America First Team
Women's Team Scores (through 6 of 21 events)
1. Arkansas - 26.0
2. Texas A&M - 16.0
3. Georgia - 13.0
4. Oklahoma - 12.0
5. Florida - 11.0
t33. Cincinnati - 1.0