University of Oregon
University of Washington Invitational
Eaton Smashes UO Heptathlon Record with NCAA?s No. 2 All-Time Mark
02/01/09 | Track and Field
SEATTLE, Wash. -- NCAA decathlon champion Ashton Eaton began the 2009 season right where he left off last summer, breaking his own school record with the second-best indoor heptathlon in NCAA history, while the school record in the women's 60 meters fell three times Saturday at the UW Indoor Invitational.
"This has been one of the more satisfying weekends I've had as a coach," said Associate Director of Track & Field Dan Steele. "I'm really proud of the way we performed this weekend and I'm excited about the rest of the season."
Eaton, the defending NCAA decathlon champion, won all three last day pentathlon events to tally 6,174 points, easily an NCAA Indoor Championship qualifying total. The junior from Bend, Ore., first won the 60 meter hurdles in 7.91 seconds, which matched his NCAA provisional-qualifying mark of a week ago. He then cruised victory in the pole vault with a clearance of 16-3.5. Eaton ended his day with a :02 win in the 1,000 meters, running 2:39.92. He broke his own heptathlon record of 5,859 points, set last season, by 315 points. His mark was also a record for UW's Dempsey Indoor Facility.
"It was an amazing performance by Ashton," said Steele. "That was certainly one of the best collegiate heptathlon performances ever."
Eaton threatened the NCAA heptathlon record of 6,208 points set by Trey Hardee of Texas in 2006. As it was, Eaton's total ranked second all-time in NCAA history and is believed to lead the world just one month into 2009.
Meanwhile, in the women's 60 meters, Jamesha Youngblood broke the school record in heat one of the preliminary round, running 7.63 seconds, only to have freshman Amber Purvis better that mark to 7.48 in heat three. Then in the finals, Purvis set yet another school record by running 7.39, a time that tied for first in the event with California's Cherrelle Garrett, though Garrett was listed as the winner. Mandy White, who was the school record holder at 60 meters before Saturday, ran 7.70 in her preliminary heat, just .05 off her personal best.
Purvis's time from the finals was an NCAA provisional qualifying mark, one of seven NCAA qualifiers the Ducks recorded on Saturday.
Purvis, from Hercules, Calif., also set an Oregon record at 200 meters with time of 24.15, which broke Sofie Albidtrup's 2004 mark of 24.39. Purvis finished third overall on Saturday.
Youngblood was part of another record --this time one that held for more than a couple of minutes -- in the long jump. After tying Lauryn Jordan atop the school lists last weekend at 20-6.5, she claimed the record for herself with a leap of 20-9.25. Youngblood finished second in reaching an NCAA provisional distance, just a half-inch behind Amy Menlove of Brigham Young's 20-9.75.
Youngblood was also third in the triple jump with a leap of 38-8.75. Freshman Ashley Potter of Springfield, Ore., was sixth in the triple jump at 37-11.5
"Amber made a big splash in her first collegiate meet," said Steele. "And Jamesha has turned in a some real nice performances the last two weeks."
Melissa Gergel recorded an NCAA Championships automatic mark in the pole vault with a winning clearance of 13-9.25, which was a personal record, and third all-time, for the sophomore from Glenwood, Ill.
The Ducks earned two NCAA provisional marks in the 3,000 meters. Sophomore Alexandra Kosinski finished fourth in 9:15.57, the No. 5 all-time performance in school history, while junior Mattie Bridgmon placed sixth in 9:17.49, a mark that was also sixth all-time at the University.
Sophomore Vernell Warren finished third in the men's long jump with an effort of 23-10.75.
A pair of freshmen scored top six finishes in the men's triple jump. Brian Schaudt took third with a mark of 47-9.75, while Lane Seals was sixth at 46-1.25.
"Normally, the first meet of the season, you're just trying to get the rust off," said Steele. "That's a lot of NCAA marks and school records for the first big weekend. I just couldn't be more happy with how that kids came out and competed."
Top NCAA Indoor Men's Heptathlon Scores
1. 6,206 points, Trey Hardee, Texas, 2006
2. 6,174 points, Ashton Eaton, Oregon, 2008
3. 6,136 points, Donovan Kilmartin, Texas, 2004
4. 5,917 points, Chris Helwick, Tennessee, 2006
5. 5,906 points, Raven Cepeda, Northern Iowa, 2008
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Players Mentioned
