TicketsCOLLEGE STATION, Texas - Annette Echikunwoke secured the University of Cincinnati women's team's second national runner-up finish of the weekend and Alex Bloom earned the first USTFCCCA All-America honor of his career as the 2018 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships came to a close Saturday night inside the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium in College Station, Texas.
// ALL-AMERICANS
Four Bearcats made the trip to College Station to compete and all four earned USTFCCCA All-America honors for their finishes. Both Loretta Blaut and Echikunwoke finished second in their respective events to earn USTFCCCA All-America First Team accolades while Adrian Valles also earned USTFCCCA All-America First Team honors as well. Alex Bloom, competing in his first national meet, placed 12th overall in the heptathlon to secure his first national honor as he was named to the USTFCCCA All-America Second Team.
// IN THE TEAM STANDINGS
The women scored 16 points to place 12th overall while the men picked-up 3.5 points to finish 52nd overall in the 2018 meet. On the women's side, Georgia captured the team title with 61 points while Arkansas (49), Kentucky (34) and Florida (32) earned the remaining four team trophies. Oregon placed fifth overall with 31 points. On the men's side, Florida won the team title with 40 points while USC (37), Georgia (32) and Virginia Tech (31) earned the remaining trophies. Host Texas A&M was fifth with 29.5 points.
// WOMEN'S PROGRAM SETS RECORDS
Blaut and Echikunwoke scored eight points each for their national runner-up finishes to score 16 points as the Bearcats placed 12th nationally as a team. Both the points scored and the team placement are program records, surpassing the 10 points and tie for 21st place the Bearcats achieved last year on the strength of Echikunwoke's national title. This year's placement is not only the first Top 15 finish in program history, it also its first Top 20 finish and just the second Top 25 showing produced by the Bearcats women.
// GREAT LAKES TOPPER
Heading into the national meet, the Bearcats women were ranked sixth in the final Great Lakes Region rankings according to the USTFCCCA. After tonight's final event, the Bearcats were the highest scoring team in the region, edging Purdue, the second-ranked team in the region, who scored 14 points and tied for 14th. Top-ranked Ohio State tied for 45th with three points, Indiana (#3) was tied for 37th with five points; #4 Wisconsin was tied for 35th with six points and #5 Michigan did not score.
// ECHIKUNWOKE FINISHES RUNNER-UP
For the second day in a row, a member of the Bearcats program settled for national runner-up honors by an extremely slim margin with Echikunwoke taking second today by 1cm in the weight throw. The 2017 champion entered the final round of throws with a best of 23.29m (76-05.00) and held the lead before Kaitlyn Long of Minnesota, who was fifth overall at the time, threw the 20-pound ball out to 23.30m (76-05.50), moving into the lead by one-half of one inch. Echikunwoke had a chance to win it on her final throw, but her offering was not an improvement, keeping her second overall.
After fouling her first throw of the meet, Echikunwoke came back and hit a toss of 22.22m (72-10.75) to temporarily take the lead before Janeah Stewart (Ole Miss) threw 22.47m two athletes after Echikunwoke. In the third round, Echikunwoke hit what would be her longest throw of the day, becoming the first competitor to go over 23m in the meet. Stewart followed with a toss of 23.34m two throwers later, but Echikunwoke remained in the lead. After both leaders fouled their throws in the fourth and fifth rounds, it came down to the final attempts where Long passed Echikunwoke at the end.
The margin of victory for Long is now the smallest in NCAA women's weight throw history, surpassing the 0.08m margin from the 1999 championships when Toynida Smith (Purdue) won with a toss of 20.95m (68-08.75) while SMU's Florence Ezeh was second with a toss of 20.87m (68-05.75). Despite the close finish, Echikunwoke earned her third career indoor USTFCCCA All-America First Team honor and her fourth overall (one outdoor) to move into a tie for the most All-America honors attained in women's program history.
// BLOOM EARNS FIRST ALL-AMERICA HONOR
Bloom opened his second day of competition in the heptathlon with a big run as he covered the 60m hurdles race in 8.36. That time is a personal best for Bloom and improved his all-time #2 standing in the program's heptathlon rankings. The 893 points he earned with his PR also moved him up one spot to 11th in the overall standings as the competitors moved into the pole vault competition.
In the pole vault, Bloom picked up another PR as he broke his own heptathlon pole vault best, clearing 4.56m (14-011.50), which bettered his season and heptathlon PR by 1cm after he cleared 4.55m (14-11.25) at the Charlie Thomas Invitational on the same track earlier this year. With the 778 points he earned for today's clearance, Bloom rose one more position in the overall standings, climbing to 10th overall with one event remaining.
In the final event, Bloom raced to a time of 2:47.70 in the 1,000m run for 790 points and, despite just missing his PR time in the event, his Day Two total of 2,461 points stands as the fourth-most in the program's heptathlon history. Those points helped him place 12th overall in the seven-event competition, which is four places higher than what he entered the meet as the 16th-ranked competitor.
// ON DECK
The Bearcats will have two weeks off from competition before opening the 2018 outdoor season by hosting the annual Oliver Nikoloff Open in Cincinnati March 30-31. The meet, which will be held at Gettler Stadium and Coy Field, will be the first of two home events this outdoor season as the Bearcats are also slated to play host to the 2018 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships, May 11-13.
2018 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships
March 10 (Day 2) • Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium • College Station, Texas
Women's Results
Weight Throw - FINAL
2. Annette Echikunwoke - 23.29m (76-05.00) - 8 team points - USTFCCCA All-America First Team
Men's Results
Heptathlon - FINAL
12. Alex Bloom - 5,618 points - USTFCCCA All-America Second Team
HEP #5 • 60m Hurdles
t10. Alex Bloom - 8.36 [893p] - PR & UC HEP #2
HEP #6 • Pole Vault
t7. Alex Bloom - 4.56m (14-11.50) [778p] - HEP PR & UC HEP #5
HEP #7 • 1,000m Run
11. Alex Bloom - 2:47.70 [790p]
Heptathlon Day Two Scoring
Alex Bloom - 2,461 points - PR & UC #4
Team Scoring
Women (FINAL)
1. Georgia - 61
2. Arkansas - 49
3. Kentucky - 34
4. Florida - 32
5. Oregon - 31
12. CINCINNATI - 16
Men (FINAL)
1. Florida - 40.0
2. USC - 37.0
3. Georgia - 32.0
4. Virginia Tech - 31.0
5. Texas A&M - 29.5
52. CINCINNATI - 3.5
2018 USTFCCCA All-Americans
Women
Loretta Blaut - High Jump - 2nd Place - USTFCCCA All-America First Team
Annette Echikunwoke - Weight Throw - 2nd Place - UStFCCCA All-America First Team
Men
Alex Bloom - Heptathlon - 12th Place - USTFCCCA All-America Second Team
Adrian Valles - Pole Vault - t-5th Place - USTFCCCA All-America First Team
// ALL-AMERICANS
Four Bearcats made the trip to College Station to compete and all four earned USTFCCCA All-America honors for their finishes. Both Loretta Blaut and Echikunwoke finished second in their respective events to earn USTFCCCA All-America First Team accolades while Adrian Valles also earned USTFCCCA All-America First Team honors as well. Alex Bloom, competing in his first national meet, placed 12th overall in the heptathlon to secure his first national honor as he was named to the USTFCCCA All-America Second Team.
// IN THE TEAM STANDINGS
The women scored 16 points to place 12th overall while the men picked-up 3.5 points to finish 52nd overall in the 2018 meet. On the women's side, Georgia captured the team title with 61 points while Arkansas (49), Kentucky (34) and Florida (32) earned the remaining four team trophies. Oregon placed fifth overall with 31 points. On the men's side, Florida won the team title with 40 points while USC (37), Georgia (32) and Virginia Tech (31) earned the remaining trophies. Host Texas A&M was fifth with 29.5 points.
// WOMEN'S PROGRAM SETS RECORDS
Blaut and Echikunwoke scored eight points each for their national runner-up finishes to score 16 points as the Bearcats placed 12th nationally as a team. Both the points scored and the team placement are program records, surpassing the 10 points and tie for 21st place the Bearcats achieved last year on the strength of Echikunwoke's national title. This year's placement is not only the first Top 15 finish in program history, it also its first Top 20 finish and just the second Top 25 showing produced by the Bearcats women.
// GREAT LAKES TOPPER
Heading into the national meet, the Bearcats women were ranked sixth in the final Great Lakes Region rankings according to the USTFCCCA. After tonight's final event, the Bearcats were the highest scoring team in the region, edging Purdue, the second-ranked team in the region, who scored 14 points and tied for 14th. Top-ranked Ohio State tied for 45th with three points, Indiana (#3) was tied for 37th with five points; #4 Wisconsin was tied for 35th with six points and #5 Michigan did not score.
// ECHIKUNWOKE FINISHES RUNNER-UP
For the second day in a row, a member of the Bearcats program settled for national runner-up honors by an extremely slim margin with Echikunwoke taking second today by 1cm in the weight throw. The 2017 champion entered the final round of throws with a best of 23.29m (76-05.00) and held the lead before Kaitlyn Long of Minnesota, who was fifth overall at the time, threw the 20-pound ball out to 23.30m (76-05.50), moving into the lead by one-half of one inch. Echikunwoke had a chance to win it on her final throw, but her offering was not an improvement, keeping her second overall.
After fouling her first throw of the meet, Echikunwoke came back and hit a toss of 22.22m (72-10.75) to temporarily take the lead before Janeah Stewart (Ole Miss) threw 22.47m two athletes after Echikunwoke. In the third round, Echikunwoke hit what would be her longest throw of the day, becoming the first competitor to go over 23m in the meet. Stewart followed with a toss of 23.34m two throwers later, but Echikunwoke remained in the lead. After both leaders fouled their throws in the fourth and fifth rounds, it came down to the final attempts where Long passed Echikunwoke at the end.
The margin of victory for Long is now the smallest in NCAA women's weight throw history, surpassing the 0.08m margin from the 1999 championships when Toynida Smith (Purdue) won with a toss of 20.95m (68-08.75) while SMU's Florence Ezeh was second with a toss of 20.87m (68-05.75). Despite the close finish, Echikunwoke earned her third career indoor USTFCCCA All-America First Team honor and her fourth overall (one outdoor) to move into a tie for the most All-America honors attained in women's program history.
// BLOOM EARNS FIRST ALL-AMERICA HONOR
Bloom opened his second day of competition in the heptathlon with a big run as he covered the 60m hurdles race in 8.36. That time is a personal best for Bloom and improved his all-time #2 standing in the program's heptathlon rankings. The 893 points he earned with his PR also moved him up one spot to 11th in the overall standings as the competitors moved into the pole vault competition.
In the pole vault, Bloom picked up another PR as he broke his own heptathlon pole vault best, clearing 4.56m (14-011.50), which bettered his season and heptathlon PR by 1cm after he cleared 4.55m (14-11.25) at the Charlie Thomas Invitational on the same track earlier this year. With the 778 points he earned for today's clearance, Bloom rose one more position in the overall standings, climbing to 10th overall with one event remaining.
In the final event, Bloom raced to a time of 2:47.70 in the 1,000m run for 790 points and, despite just missing his PR time in the event, his Day Two total of 2,461 points stands as the fourth-most in the program's heptathlon history. Those points helped him place 12th overall in the seven-event competition, which is four places higher than what he entered the meet as the 16th-ranked competitor.
// ON DECK
The Bearcats will have two weeks off from competition before opening the 2018 outdoor season by hosting the annual Oliver Nikoloff Open in Cincinnati March 30-31. The meet, which will be held at Gettler Stadium and Coy Field, will be the first of two home events this outdoor season as the Bearcats are also slated to play host to the 2018 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships, May 11-13.
2018 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships
March 10 (Day 2) • Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium • College Station, Texas
Women's Results
Weight Throw - FINAL
2. Annette Echikunwoke - 23.29m (76-05.00) - 8 team points - USTFCCCA All-America First Team
Men's Results
Heptathlon - FINAL
12. Alex Bloom - 5,618 points - USTFCCCA All-America Second Team
HEP #5 • 60m Hurdles
t10. Alex Bloom - 8.36 [893p] - PR & UC HEP #2
HEP #6 • Pole Vault
t7. Alex Bloom - 4.56m (14-11.50) [778p] - HEP PR & UC HEP #5
HEP #7 • 1,000m Run
11. Alex Bloom - 2:47.70 [790p]
Heptathlon Day Two Scoring
Alex Bloom - 2,461 points - PR & UC #4
Team Scoring
Women (FINAL)
1. Georgia - 61
2. Arkansas - 49
3. Kentucky - 34
4. Florida - 32
5. Oregon - 31
12. CINCINNATI - 16
Men (FINAL)
1. Florida - 40.0
2. USC - 37.0
3. Georgia - 32.0
4. Virginia Tech - 31.0
5. Texas A&M - 29.5
52. CINCINNATI - 3.5
2018 USTFCCCA All-Americans
Women
Loretta Blaut - High Jump - 2nd Place - USTFCCCA All-America First Team
Annette Echikunwoke - Weight Throw - 2nd Place - UStFCCCA All-America First Team
Men
Alex Bloom - Heptathlon - 12th Place - USTFCCCA All-America Second Team
Adrian Valles - Pole Vault - t-5th Place - USTFCCCA All-America First Team