(Results Below Story)
BEREA, Ohio -- Texas Lutheran freshman Briana Aiken had never competed in a long jump competition at any level before the 2010 women’s track and field season.
Today, she is a national champion.
Aiken jumped a George Finnie Stadium record 19 feet, 3-1/2 inches Thursday to win the long jump at the NCAA Division III Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Aiken, a Pflugerville native and a Pflugerville High School product, made the championship final with a jump of 18-6 1/4. Her national championship jump of 19-3 1/2 came on her sixth and final jump of the competition. (The leap of 19-3 1/2 is also a new TLU school record.) She was in third place entering her final jump.
“It feels unbelievable,” said Aiken, who came to TLU as a pole vaulter and 400-meter runner. “I’m really excited. I didn’t even know I had won. Once they told me, I started celebrating.”
Aiken entered the national championships with the fifth-best jump in NCAA DIII – a leap of 19-2 on May 20. The jump on May 20 came a week after her first leap of more than 19 feet – a mark of 19-0 3/4 on May 13.
“Going into this (national championship) meet, I told myself that I was going to try my absolute hardest, whatever that may be,” said Aiken. “Whether I finished in last place, or if I finished in first place, I wanted to leave here knowing I did my absolute best.”
Aiken is the daughter of Christopher and Simone Aiken of Pflugerville, Texas.
The national championship for Aiken is TLU’s first individual championship in NCAA Division III in any sport.
The national title is the third NCAA DIII championship of any kind in school history, joining the 2007 women’s 4x400 meter indoor relay team and the 2008 women’s 4x100 outdoor relay team.
Aiken’s national title also raises the overall national championship number for TLU in all affiliations (NCAA Division III and NAIA). TLU’s national championship total is now up to 10.
In addition to the three NCAA DIII titles in women’s track and field, TLU won NAIA-II national titles in football in 1974 and 1975, AIAW-II national titles in women’s volleyball in 1975 and 1976, and individual NAIA golf titles from John Bohmann (1967), Cameron Beckman (1991), and Elizabeth Hoffmann (1999).
At Baldwin-Wallace College, just outside of Cleveland, Aiken edged senior Ashton May of the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse by 1-1/2 inches for the title. Ashlynn Chavis, a sophomore from Methodist University, was third with a leap of 19-1 1/2.
Aiken's fellow American Southwest Conference competitor Breana Anderson-Burton, a junior from McMurry and the reigning ASC champion in the long jump, was sixth after a leap of 18-5. Fellow TLU Bulldog Devin Evans (Houston/Hightower) did not advance out of flight one. Evans had a long leap on Thursday of 17-7.
It's been a wild outdoor track and field ride for Aiken, who literally stumbled into the long jump one afternoon during a TLU practice at Seguin High School.
“One day Briana was walking by some of her teammates doing a jumping workout,” said Darlene Holland, TLU assistant coach for women’s track and field. “We asked her if she wanted to try it, and I remember her jumping so high. I looked over to Coach (Patrick) Zarate and said, ‘She’s going to be a jumper.’ He nodded and said, ‘Yes, she is.’”
Aiken has battled an ankle injury for most of the season, and she finished eighth at the ASC Championships on May 23 with a jump of 17-0 3/4. She then moved onto the national radar with a provisional qualification jump of 19-0 3/4 on May 13 and with an automatic qualification jump of 19-2 on May 20.
“She just kept getting better,” said Zarate, TLU’s head coach for women’s track and field. “She had never jumped in her life, and now she is a national champion. It’s truly incredible. We’re just very happy for her. She did a tremendous job and made the most of her opportunity. I really don’t think it has sunk in with her yet.”
Aiken still has an event left in the 2010 championships. She competes in the triple jump, along with teammate Destiny Jones (Garland/Naaman Forest), at 1:30 p.m. central on Saturday.
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TLU’S BOLIVAR EARNS ALL-AMERICA HONOR IN POLE VAULT
In other TLU action at the national championships on Thursday, fellow freshman Ligia Bolivar (Sugar Land/Travis) finished in a tie for eighth in the pole vault and earned NCAA DIII All-America honors.
Bolivar set a new school record in the pole vault with a clearance of 12-2 3/4.
“She nearly cleared 12-6,” said Zarate. “She did a great job in her first outdoor championships, and she is very excited about what the future holds.”
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4x100 RELAY DOES NOT ADVANCE TO FINALS
The TLU women’s 4x100 meter relay team of Sahara Bragner (Victoria/Memorial), Shyra Walker (Cuero/Cuero), Devin Evans (Houston/Hightower), and Julie Udoessien (Dallas/Liberty) finished fifth in its heat and did not advance to the relay final.
The Bulldogs finished with a time of 48.22.
TLU entered the national championship meet as the 15th-ranked qualifier out of the 15 relay teams.
Bragner, Walker and Evans are sophomores. Udoessien is a freshman.
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NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships
George Finnie Stadium / Baldwin-Wallace College
Berea, Ohio
Women's Long Jump
Final
1 Briana Aiken, Fr, Texas Lutheran 19-3 1/2[+0.1w] (5.88m)
(5.46, 5.59, 5.64, 5.79, 5.51, 5.88)
Stadium record
Was 19-2 3/4 (5.86m); Angela Feinauer, Calvin College, 1993
2 Ashton May, Sr, Wisconsin La Crosse 19-2[-0.1w] (5.84m)
(5.60, 5.65, 5.58, 5.47, 5.84, F)
3 Ashlynn Chavis, So, Methodist University
19-1 1/2[+0.4w] (5.83m)
(5.68, F, 5.75, 5.78, F, 5.83)
4 Symonne Scott, Sr, Moravian College 19-0[+0.2w] (5.79m)
(5.49, 5.72, 5.70, 5.79, 5.75, F)
5 Nikki Hay, Sr, Springfield College 18-8 1/2 (5.70m)
(5.52, 5.50, 5.70, 5.58, 5.63, 5.70)
6 Breana Anderson, Jr, McMurry University 18-5[+0.4w] (5.61m)
(4.99, 5.32, 5.61, 5.53, 5.51, 5.43)
7 Lauren Alpert, So, Illinois Wesleyan 18-4 1/2[-0.5w] (5.60m)
(5.58, 5.49, 5.60, F, 5.28, F)
8 Marian Bevington, Fr, Heidelberg University
18-4 1/4[-0.1w] (5.59m)
(3.96, 5.59, 5.57, 5.58, 5.27, 5.49)
9 Melissa Norville, Fr, Illinois College 18-4 1/4[+0.1w] (5.59m)
(5.59, 5.47, 5.58, 5.36, 5.31, F)
Round 1, Flight 1
1 Symonne Scott, Sr, Moravian College 18-9 1/4[+0.4w] (5.72m)q
2 Breana Anderson, Jr, McMurry University 18-5[+0.4w] (5.61m)q
3 Melissa Norville, Fr, Illinois College 18-4 1/4[+0.1w] (5.59m)q
4 Tanasia Hoffler, Fr, Williams College 18-2 1/4[+0.4w] (5.54m)
5 JaLeesa Osborne, Sr, Roanoke College 18-1 3/4[-0.1w] (5.53m)
6 Sara Poppe, Jr, Wisconsin Whitewater 17-9[+0.7w] (5.41m)
7 Penny Grant, So, Greenville College 17-8 3/4 (5.40m)
8 Devin Evans, So, Texas Lutheran 17-7 1/2[+0.4w] (5.37m)
9 Angie Miller, Jr, George Fox Univ 17-1 1/2[+0.2w] (5.22m)
Round 1, Flight 2
1 Ashlynn Chavis, So, Methodist University
18-10 1/2[-0.1w] (5.75m)q
2 Nikki Hay, Sr, Springfield College 18-8 1/2[+0.2w] (5.70m)q
3 Ashton May, Sr, Wisconsin La Crosse 18-6 1/2[+0.2w] (5.65m)q
4 Briana Aiken, Fr, Texas Lutheran 18-6 1/4[-0.4w] (5.64m)q
5 Lauren Alpert, So, Illinois Wesleyan 18-4 1/2[-0.5w] (5.60m)q
6 Marian Bevington, Fr, Heidelberg University
18-4 1/4[-0.1w] (5.59m)q
7 Skye Morrison, So, Wartburg College 18-2 1/4[+0.4w] (5.54m)
8 Julia Renner, So, St. Benedict 17-11 1/2[+0.1w] (5.47m)
9 Jennifer Adams, So, Rochester Inst Tech
17-8 3/4[-0.6w] (5.40m)
10 Amanda LaRocca, Sr, Illinois Wesleyan 17-6[-0.3w] (5.33m)
Pole Vault
1 Anna Heim, Sr, Moravian College 13-6 1/2 (4.13m)
(3.73, 3.83, 3.93[2], 4.03, 4.13[2])
NCAA Championships record
Was 13-2 1/4 (4.02m); Rachel Secrest, North Central, 2009
2 Rachel Secrest, Sr, North Central College 13-2 1/2 (4.03m)
(3.63, 3.73, 3.83, 3.93, 4.03)
Betters old NCAA Championships record
3 Hayley Suckow, Sr, Wisconsin Eau Claire 12-10 3/4 (3.93m)
(3.48[3], 3.63[3], 3.73[3], 3.83[2], 3.93[2])
4 Abby Schaffer, So, Widener University 12-6 3/4 (3.83m)
(3.63, 3.73, 3.83[3])
4 Alexandra Faust, Sr, Muhlenberg College 12-6 3/4 (3.83m)
(3.48, 3.63, 3.73, 3.83[3])
6 Christina Rhodes, Jr, Bridgewater (Virginia 12-2 3/4 (3.73m)
(3.48, 3.63[2], 3.73)
6 Rachel Joseph, Sr, Richard Stockton 12-2 3/4 (3.73m)
(3.48[2], 3.63, 3.73)
8 Ligia Bolivar, Fr, Texas Lutheran 12-2 3/4 (3.73m)
(3.48, 3.63[2], 3.73[2])
8 Misty Corwin, So, Linfield College 12-2 3/4 (3.73m)
(3.48[2], 3.63, 3.73[2])
10 Karin Fisher, Jr, Mass Inst Technology 12-2 3/4 (3.73m)
(3.48, 3.63, 3.73[3])
11 Danielle Carrigan, So, Wisconsin Oshkosh 12-2 3/4 (3.73m)
(3.48, 3.63[3], 3.73[3])
12 Danielle Busch, Fr, St. Benedict 11-10 3/4 (3.63m)
(3.48, 3.63)
13 Nicole Hope, So, Ohio Northern 11-10 3/4 (3.63m)
(3.48, 3.63[2])
14 Kim Keesler, So, Marietta College 11-10 3/4 (3.63m)
(3.48, 3.63[3])
14 Etta Grover-Silva, Sr, Smith College 11-10 3/4 (3.63m)
(3.48, 3.63[3])
16 Joy Leach, Sr, Calvin College 11-10 3/4 (3.63m)
(3.48[2], 3.63[3])
17 Amie Fillmore, Sr, St. Olaf College 11-5 (3.48m)
(3.48)
18 Rebecca Grafenauer, Sr, CarrollUniversity(Wi) 11-5 (3.48m)
(3.48[2])
19 Holly Rollins, Jr, McMurry University 11-5 (3.48m)
(3.48[3])
Catherine Street, So, Linfield College NH
4x100 Meter Relay
Round 1, Heat 1
1 Wisconsin La Crosse (Kailey Charlton, Ashton May,
Maggie May, Laurel Beck) 46.97Q
2 Buffalo State (Imani Richardson, Taniqua Hollinsworth,
Na'taya Lassic, Erica Johnson) 47.04q
3 Roanoke College (JaLeesa Osborne, Carmen Graves,
Jazamine Stallings, Robin Yerkes) 47.44q
4 Augsburg College (Whitney Holman, Ashley Carney, Katie
Vrieze, Shanek Telphia) 48.09
5 Texas Lutheran (Sahara Bragner, Shyra Walker, Devin
Evans, Julie Udoessien) 48.22
Round 1, Heat 2
1 Illinois Wesleyan (Ali McCoy, Amanda LaRocca, Lauren
Alpert, Shavantay Thomas) 46.64Q
2 College of New Jersey (Tiffany Etheridge, Miriam Khan,
Kim Shelus, Priscilla Senyah) 47.55q
3 Nebraska Wesleyan (Taylor Tacha, Erin Twibell, Allee
Kuska, Anne Kersenbrock) 47.57
4 Univ of St. Thomas (Laura Janas, Nikki Arola, Molly
Demmer, Jenna Ewing) 48.02
5 University of Chicago (Emma Finestone, Stephanie
Omueti, Dipti Karmarkar, Ashley Eaves) 48.10
Round 1, Heat 3
1 Wartburg College (Jenny Kordick, Nevada Morrison, Jen
Ganshirt, Faith Burt) 46.22Q
DIII Season's Best
Stadium record
Was 46.23; Lincoln University (Kirkland,
Levine, Williams, Jones), 1999
2 Springfield College (Laurie Jenkins, Crystal Davis,
Erika Marks, Nikki Hay) 46.91q
3 Moravian College (Rachel Beck, Symonne Scott, Rachel
Riggs, Dana haslett) 47.26q
Emory University (Brittany Donino, Alix Dyer, Hadiza
Sa-Aadu, Crystal Spence) DNF
Williams College (Elise Johnson, Hillary Higgs, Kelsey
Ham, Tanasia Hoffler) DQ
Final
4X100 METER RELAY Saturday 1:00 pm
Heat winners plus next 5 fastest advance
Last year's winner: 46.21; Wartburg College (Burt, Morrison, Kordick, Steffens)
NCAA Championships record: 45.98; City College of N Y (Barnwell, Watson, Stewart, Raymond)
Stadium record: 46.23; Lincoln University (Kirkland, Levine, Williams, Jones), 1999
All-time DIII best: 45.98; City College of N Y (Barnwell, Watson, Stewart, Raymond)
Qual
Lane Name Team Time
1 College of New Jersey (Tiffany Etheridge,
Miriam Khan, Kim Shelus, Priscilla Senyah) 47.55
2 Buffalo State (Imani Richardson, Taniqua
Hollinsworth, Na'taya Lassic, Erica
Johnson) 47.04
3 Wisconsin La Crosse (Kailey Charlton,
Ashton May, Maggie May, Laurel Beck) 46.97
4 Wartburg College (Jenny Kordick, Nevada
Morrison, Jen Ganshirt, Faith Burt) 46.22
5 Illinois Wesleyan (Ali McCoy, Amanda
LaRocca, Lauren Alpert, Shavantay Thomas) 46.64
6 Springfield College (Laurie Jenkins,
Crystal Davis, Erika Marks, Nikki Hay) 46.91
7 Moravian College (Rachel Beck, Symonne
Scott, Rachel Riggs, Dana haslett) 47.26
8 Roanoke College (JaLeesa Osborne, Carmen
Graves, Jazamine Stallings, Robin Yerkes) 47.4