NCAA OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

ASU star prevails; UA slips

Arkansas State senior Sharika Nelvis capped her college career by winning the 100-meter hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., in 12.52 seconds, the fastest time in the world this season.
Arkansas State senior Sharika Nelvis capped her college career by winning the 100-meter hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., in 12.52 seconds, the fastest time in the world this season.

Make it a national title sweep for Arkansas State's Sharika Nelvis.

Nelvis, a senior from Memphis, capped her college career by winning the 100-meter hurdles Saturday at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore.

Nelvis won in 12.52 seconds -- the fastest time in the world this season --with slight wind aid of 2.8 meters per second at Oregon's Hayward Field.

It was the second national title this year for Nelvis, who won the 60-meter hurdles at the NCAA Indoor meet.

Nelvis, a six-time All-American, edged LSU senior Jasmin Stowers (12.54) to finish the outdoor season 8-0 in the 100-meter hurdles.

"Every day I'm motivated to be first," Nelvis said in an ESPN interview after the race. "I train hard every day. That's what I do at practice."

Arkansas junior Stanley Kebenei finished second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase after tripping as he went over the the final hurdle.

Kebenei and Texas-El Paso junior Anthony Rotich had broken away from the other runners and it appeared they would have a sprint to the finish before Kebenei's right leg hit the hurdle and he fell to the track.

Rotich won in 8:32.21 to become the first back-to-back NCAA steeplechase champion since Daniel Lincoln won three in a row for Arkansas from 2001-2003. Kebenei was able to get up and finish in 8:35.27.

"I thought it would go to the wire with a lean at the finish," Arkansas Coach Chris Bucknam said. "Stanley was real aggressive and he has great closing speed.

"I think he was just running so fast, he ran too close to the hurdle. He couldn't get his leg up in time."

Bucknam applauded Kebenei for being able to take second after his fall.

"It's a stunner when you fall in a race, especially for the national title, but he kept his composure," Bucknam said. "He knew we were battling for a top 10 finish for the team, and he got up and scrambled to the finish. He's just a great competitor.

"I'm proud of him and the rest of our guys."

Kebenei helped push Arkansas into a ninth-place finish in the men's team standings with 20 points. Oregon won its first men's title since 1984 with 88 points, followed by Florida (70) and Texas A&M (41.5).

The Razorbacks' 1,600-meter relay team of sophomores Jarrion Lawson and Eric Janise and seniors Travis Southard and Neil Braddy finished eighth in 3:07.26. It was the 13th All-American honor for Braddy, who is from Fort Smith Southside.

In the triple jump, Arkansas senior Anthony May (52-4 1/2) took ninth and senior Raymond Higgs 23rd (50-5 1/4).

Arkansas' women's team finished ninth with 21.5 points, led Saturday by sixth-place finishes from junior Dominque Scott in the 5,000 meters (15:57.79) and its 1,600-meter relay team of freshmen Daina Harper and Regine Williams, sophomore Taylor Ellis-Watson and junior Chrishuna Williams, who ran 3:31.94.

Texas A&M won the women's team title with 75 points.

Arkansas senior Stephanie Brown finished eighth in the 1,500 meters in 4:20.85 after having the nation's fastest time coming into the race (4:11.40).

Brown was in a pack with a chance to challenge for the lead on the final lap, but was knocked off stride when she was bumped by some other runners.

"That made her hesitate on her move to get to the front, and then it just became a mad dash to try to get to the finish," Arkansas Coach Lance Harter said. "By then, two or three steps make a big difference."

Chrishuna Williams was the only returning member of Arkansas' team that won the 1,600 relay at the NCAA Outdoor meet last year.

"That was real positive, and obviously they all return next year," Harter said. "The freshmen got a bit of a taste for the what heat of the NCAA Championships can feel like.

"They all competed well, and Chrishuna did a real good job of moving us up to sixth on the anchor. Those points put us ... in the top 10."

Razorbacks senior Kirsten Hessletine, from Springdale Har-Ber, matched her personal best by clearing 5-10 3/4 in the high jump to finish 11th. She missed three attempts at 6-0.

Arkansas junior Diane Robison was 21st in the 5,000 (16:41.51).

Sports on 06/15/2014

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